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Pebbles  From  An 
African  Beach 


LEWIS  GARNETT  JORDAN 


His  Excellency  D.  E.  Howard, 

President,  Republic  of  Liberia,  Monrovia. 
His  Excellency  S.  G.  Harmon, 

Vice-President,  Republic  of  Liberia. 


Liberian  Coat  of  Arms 


LIBERIA 


A  BRIEF  STUDY 


Geographical,  Historical,  Political,  Industrial, 

Spiritual 

A  glance  at  its  past;  a  consideration  of  its 
present;  a  peep  into  its  future. 

Designed  as  a  Missionary  Text-Book  for  use 
in  Evangelical  Churches,  Sabbath  Schools, 
Women’s  and  Young  People’s  Societies. 

CONTENTS 


FOREWORD 

Chapter  1 — Geographical 
Chapter  2 — Historical 
Chapter  3 — Political 
Chapter  4 — Industrial 
Chapter  5 — Spiritual 
AFTERWORD 

FOREWORD 


On  my  return  from  Africa,  in  Mav.  1917, 
I  found  that  Africa  was  to  be  the  subject  of 
Mission  Studv  this  vear.  “The  Missionary  Edu- 
cation  Movement,”  of  New  York,  had  published 
two  books  as  text-books  on  Africa,  for  use  in 
the  churches  for  the  studv  of  Missions  this  sea- 

«y 

son.  Both  books  dealt  with  Africa  as  a  whole. 
Liberia  being  so  small  it  would  not  be  seen  in 
the  little  space  alotted  it  in  discussion.  Liberia 
deserves  special  attention. 

Having  visited  Africa  three  times  and  made 
it  a  special  study  for  twenty-five  years,  I  have 
been  repeatedly  urged  to  write  on  the  subject, 
but  my  time  was  so  completely  occupied  that  it 
seemed  impossible  to  find  the  extra  time  needed 
for  such  a  task.  However,  after  long  debating, 
remembering  the  onesided  way  in  which  most 


4  PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH 


rier  boys/’  etc.,  I  thought  they  meant  minors, 
but  I  have  learned  with  great  sorrow  they  meant 
men.  Thus  the  African  is  not  allowed  to  think 
as  a  man,  or  think  himself  a  man.  This  won’t 
last. 

And  yet,  to  the  millions  of  Africans  living 
there,  Africa  holds  no  interest  or  meaning  be¬ 
yond  the  limits  of  their  tribal  boundary;  and 
to  the  millions  of  African  descendants  living 
in  America,  Africa  is  nothing  more  than  an 
odious  name. 

Strange  paradox !  Every  seventh  man  in  our 
world  lives  in  Africa,  and  every  tenth  man  in 
our  own  country  is  of  African  descent!  and 
yet  these  more  than  ten  million  American 
Negroes  know  little  of  Africa  in  general  and 
almost  nothing  of  Liberia  in  particular. 

Here  is  the  only  Negro  Republic  in  Africa, 
and  ten  million  citizens  of  this  great  Republic 
know  almost  nothing  of  the  sister  Republic, 
and  care  less. 

It  is  to  remedy  this  deplorable  condition  that 
this  text-book  is  prepared  and  published.  It 
is  to  stimulate  the  Negro  in  America,  who  may 
be  dissatisfied  with  his  lot  here,  who  may  chafe 
under  discrimination  and  segregation,  and  long 
for  a  liberty  that  is  not  circumscribed  by  preju¬ 
dice,  to  turn  his  thought  to  Liberia.  There  is 
an  open  door  and  a  welcome  hand  to  the  Negro 
who  wishes  to  return  to  the  land  of  his  fathers, 
not  only  to  aid  in  its  betterment  with  Bible, 
tool  and  farm  implement,  but  to  better  himself 
in  the  open  field  of  opportunity. 

Throughout  the  world  he  is  scorned  as  an 
African.  None  of  the  nations  that  have  spheres 
of  influence  or  colonies  in  all  Africa  welcome 
the  return  to  the  continent  of  the  American 
Negro.  When  he  goes  there  as  a  missionary  he 
is  harrassed  by  the  governments  and  given  all 
the  trouble  possible.  Liberia  alone  has  an  open 
door  and  extends  a  welcome  hand  to  the  Negro 
who  wishes  to  return  to  the  land  of  his  fathers. 

Could  any  stronger  argument  be  found — is 
any  other  needed — to  convince  the  colored  peo- 


PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH  5 


pie  of  America  that  it  is  their  sacred  duty  to 
read,  study,  mentally  digest  and  assimilate  the 
facts  herein  set  forth? 

Who  knows  but  that,  through  the  Republic 
of  Liberia,  the  Negro  is  again  coming  into  his 
own?  What  though  he  is  down  today,  if  only 
he  is  struggling  up !  He  was  at  the  summit 
yesterday ;  he  may  be  there  again  tomorrow. 
A  thousand  years  in  God’s  sight  are  but  as  a 

day ;  and  history  repeats  itself. 

If  we  were  disposed  to  admit  the  truth  of 
the  allegations  that  the  Negro  is  inferior,  or 
marked  with  a  curse,  dr  not  of  human  origin — 
allegations  often  seriously  made — we  have  but 
to  point  to  the  records  of  history  to  find  that 
an  inhuman,  inferior  and  cursed  race  were  the 
pioneers  of  the  world’s  industry,  culture  and 
conquest — the  builders  of  civilization — ages  be¬ 
fore  the  haughty  Teuton  or  proud  Anglo-Saxon 
came  upon  the  scene.  And  down  through  the 
centuries,  under  tyranny  and  oppression  and 
darkness  and  slavery,  the  irrepressible  black 
man  has  ever  bobbed  up,  giving  the  world  some 
of  its  mightiest  heroes  and  remarkable  geniuses. 

The  Republic  of  Liberia  has  passed  the  ex¬ 
perimental  stage ;  it  is  a  demonstrated  and  rec¬ 
ognized  fact.  At  its  birth,  just  seventy  years 
ago,  it  was  not  believed  that  the  Negro  was 
capable  of  self-government;  today  the  little 
Republic  occupies  her  seat  in  the  Congress  of 
Nations  and  has  diplomatic  intercourse  with 
the  other  sovereign  states  of  the  world. 

And  why  not?  As  a  founder,  the  black  man 
is  not  a  new  thing  under  the  sun.  In  common 
with  all  races,  we  have  had  our  pioneers  and 
founders. 

A  great-grandson  of  Ham,  named  Sheba, 
founded  the  wealthy  kingdom  which  bore  his 
name.  The  civilized  world  knows  of  the  mem¬ 
orable  visit  of  the  Queen  of  Sheba  to  Solomon 
the  magnificent.  For  splendor  of  cavalcade 
and  untold  value  of  gifts  it  has  rarely  been 
equaled  in  history*  So  a  black  woman,  Queen 


6  PEEBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH 


Balkis  of  Sheba,  was  monarch  of  this  prosper¬ 
ous  kingdom  which  a  black  man  founded. 

Cush  was  the  eldest  son  of  Ham  and  himself 
the  father  of  six  sons,  of  whom  Seba  and  Nim¬ 
rod  were  the  greatest  and  best  known.  The 
descendants  of  Seba  founded  what  is  now 
known  as  Nubia;  and  it  was  from  among  these 
Negroes,  so  Josephus  tells  us,  that  Moses,  the 
law-giver,  got  his  Ethiopian  wife.  So  again 
a  black  woman  became  at  least  the  helpmeet 
of  the  founder  of  the  kingdom  of  Israel. 

The  youngest  grandson  of  Ham,  Nimrod, 
the  “mighty  hunter  before  the  Lord/’  was  the 
founder  of  Babylon;  then  a  colony  was  sent  to 
found  Nineveh.  So  a  black  man  was  respons¬ 
ible  for  the,  two  greatest  inland  cities  of  the 
ancient  world;  a  Negro  was  the  founder  of 
what,  in  some  respects,  was  the  mightiest  em¬ 
pire  and  grandest  civilization  of  all  history. 

Just  this  little  lifting  of  the  curtain  and  this 
mere  peep  into  the  past  is  enough  to  show  that 
the  Negro  is  no  amateur  or  tyro  as  a  pioneer 
and  founder.  It  is  enough  to  show  the  place 
he  occupied  in  the  history  of  by-gone  ages.  It 
is  enough  to  thrill  us  with  pride  and  kindle  us 
with  ambition  at  the  achievements  of  our  an¬ 
cestors.  And  it  is  their  spirits  which  are  speak¬ 
ing  to  and  acting  through  the  Liberians  today, 
and  bidding  them  develop  and  perpetuate  the 
Republic  they  have  founded.  It  is  their  spirits 
which  are  speaking  to  us  here  in  America,  bid¬ 
ding  us  not  to  forget  our  fatherland  and  our 
millions  of  brothers  there;  and  not  to  be 
ashamed  to  own  that  our  ancestors  were  thick- 
lipped  and  black-skinned  and  wooly-haired,  be¬ 
cause  by  their  culture  and  skill  and  bravery 
they  have  laid  the  modern  world  under  obli¬ 
gation  to  them,  as  by  our  own  racial  develop¬ 
ment,  and  integrity  and  unity,  we  can  in  turn 
lay  the  future  world  under  obligation  to  us. 

So,  too,  the  present  day  has  had  its  Negro 
pioneers  and  founders — men  and  women  who 
shine  in  our  historical  firmament  and  have  left 
us  a  magnificent  heritage.  When  we  speak  of 


PEEBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH  7 


Homer,  Dante,  Goethe,  Shakespeare,  we  lose 
all  sense  of  place  and  race.  We  cannot  locate 
them  on  the  map.  They  belong  to  the  world. 
When  we  speak  of  Washington,  Lincoln,  Edi¬ 
son,  Emerson,  America  dare  not  make  ex¬ 
clusive  claim  to  them.  Humanity  has  long 
since  recognized  them  as  its  own.  And  in  this 
category  of  pioneers  and  founders  and  makers 
of  history  we  dare  not  omit  Frederick  Douglass, 
Booker  Washington  or  Alexander  Dumas. 
They,  too,  belong  to  the  world. 

The  world  cannot  forget  Toussaint  L'Ouver- 
ture,  soldier-statesman,  who  defied  the  concen¬ 
trated  might  of  Europe  and  planted  the  tree 
of  liberty  so  deep  that  a  hundred  years  have  not 
been  able  to  root  it  up.  The  world  cannot  for¬ 
get  Bichard  Allen,  who  stands  with  the  found¬ 
ers  of  religious  liberty.  Then  there  is  Moses 
Dickson,  pioneer  of  Negro  secret  organizations, 
founder  of  the  Knights  of  Liberty,  who  in  the 
ten  years  preceding  the  Civil  War,  carried  70,- 
000  slaves  to  liberty,  and  conducted  their  affairs 
so  secretly  that  nobody  knew  the  names  of  the 
original  twelve  or  that  such  an  organization 
existed. 

We  need  not  ask  the  world  to  remember,  for 
it  will  never  forget,  Alexander  Dumas,  who 
wrote  more  novels,  historical  sketches.,  plays 
and  travels  than  any  other  man  who  ever  lived. 

Nor  is  the  future  going  to  forget  Elijah 
Johnson  and  Paul  Cuffe  and  Lott  Carey, 
pioneers  and  founders  in  the  making  of  Liberia. 

Then,  all  hail  Liberia  !  We  wish  you  God 
speed.  Strong  in  your  faith  in  an  ever-watch- 
ing  Providence  and  confident  of  your  own 
ability,  march  on  with  the  free  states  of  earth 
to  the  goal  of  liberty  and  human  equality. 

As  “the  love  of  liberty  (which  you  have 

found  and  enjoyed  without  stint  or  grudge) 
brought  you  there,”  so  may  it  fill  you  with  en¬ 
compassing  love  for  the  millions  of  your  broth¬ 
ers  whom  you  found  there,  and  impel  you  to 
take  them  into  your  heart  and  your  life.  Then 
shall  they,  too,  like  us,  love  and  appreciate  not 


8  PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH 


only  political  liberty'  regulated  by  law,  but 
that  higher  spiritual  liberty,  governed  by  Di¬ 
vine  law  “The  truth  shall  make  you  free.”  Then 
shall  all,  from  the  humblest  of  Darkest  Africa 
to  the  greatest  of  promising  Liberia,  and  en¬ 
lightened  America  “Fear  God  and  keep  His* 
commandments.”  Again,  all  hail  Liberia !  We, 
in  this  boasted  land  of  the  free,  are  also  strug¬ 
gling  up  and  looking  up  and  shall  join  you  in 
your  efforts  to  dispel  the  night  of  ignorance, 
resting  like  a  pall  upon  the  greatest  continent 
of  earth,  and  usher  in  the  day  of  wisdom,  when 
your  millions  and  ours  shall  know  each  other 
better  and  love  each  other  as  we  should. 

Till  then,  shine  on — though  it  be  but  a  feeble, 
light — in  your  firmament  and  we  in  ours  till 
the  dawn  of  the  day  when  the  Son  of  Righteous¬ 
ness  shall  break  in  His  glory  over  all  the  chil¬ 
dren  of  Africa. 


Bible  And  IndastrrigJ  Mission  Building 

Grand  Bassa 


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Mttiiifc'jtifr  j*mh*  •  .. 


PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH  9 


CHAPTER  I 
Geographical 

Liberia  derives  its  name  from  the  Latin — 
liber ,  free;  hence  the  little  Republic  is  well 
named,  for  it  is  the  one  place  where  the  black 
man  finds  full  freedom  and  the  enjoyment  of 
those  inalienable  privileges  which  by  right 
belong  to  free  men. 

The  Republic  is  situated  on  the  west  coast 
of  Africa,  between  Sierra  Leone  and  the  Ivory 
Coast;  or  in  the  western  part  of  what  some  of 
us  remember  was  called  on  the  old  maps  Upper 
Guinea. 

The  various  sections  of  the  long  coast  line  of 
West  Africa  have  been  known  by  the  names  of 
the  natural  products  which  formed  the  basis 
of  their  trade.  Thus,  we  have  the  Grain  Coast, 
Slave  Coast,  Ivory  Coast,  Gold  Coast. 

Liberia  corresponds  with  the  old  Grain  Coast 
from  which  were,  and  are  still,  taken  the  grains 
“Malagneta  Pepper,”  once  a  notable  import  in 
Europe. 

The  Republic  has  a  coast  line  stretching 
along  the  Atlantic  for  about  350  miles,  north¬ 
west  to  southeast,  from  the  Mano  River  on  the 
west  to  the  Cavally  on  the  East.  It  includes 
an  area  of  a  little  upwards  of  40,000  square 
miles — a  trifle  more  than  the  State  of  Ohio. 

The  boundaries  were  definitely  fixed  with 
England  and  France  in  1885  and  1892,  when 
in  the  latter  year  that  part  of  the  interior  which 
drains  into  the  Niger  fell  to  France. 

Only  the  coast  strip,  with  an  average  width 
of  seven  miles,  is  under  development  and  ad¬ 
ministration.  This  coast  is  for  the  most  part 
a  low  and  flat  sandy  beach  jutted  at  intervals 
by  ragged  reefs  of  rocks,  forming  a  shore  where 
there  are  inadequate  harbors  or  none  at  all. 
These  leagues  of  open  sea  beach  are  broken 
here  and  there  by  the  brown  flood  of  rivers  that 
are  navigable  no  more  than  a  few  miles  inland, 
where  among  the  hills  of  the  coast  ranges  they 


10  PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH 


are  transformed  into  beautiful  cascades  and 
picturesque  rapids. 

Because  of  this  absence  of  suitable  harbors, 
steamers  lie  off  shore  and  put  passengers  over 
the  side  into  surf  boats.  The  traveler  to  Liberia 
will  never  forget  this  experience.  He  sits  in 
the  surf  boat  between  the  dark  bodies  of  the 
rowers  who  line  the  gunwales.  They  sing  the 
songs  of  rowing — like  the  Italian  gondoliers. 
They  rise  and  fall  to  the  paddle  with  a  fasci¬ 
nating  ryhthm.  In  contrast  to  their  skin  are 
the  pearly  white  of  their  perfect  teeth  and  the 
flashing  white  of  their  brilliant  eyes.  They 
shout  and  swing  in  a  measured  exhilaration  as 
one  man.  One  sees  the  origin  of  the  scenes  on 
our  own  Southern  levees. 

But  if  the  first  impression  of  the  coast  is  dis¬ 
appointing  and  forbidding,  it  is  soon  dispelled 
as  one  advances  inland.  The  interior  is  elevated 
and  clothed  with  valuable  forests  of  gum  trees, 
oil  palms  and  pepper  shrubs.  These  regions 
are  healthful,  well  watered  and  fertile,  and  con¬ 
tain  a  class  of  natives  superior  to  those  living 
on  the  coast.  The  people  are  numerous  and 
have  had  little  contact  with  civilization.  This 
is  in  their  favor,  as  the  coast  civilization  is 
more  or  less  corrupt,  and  demoralizes  the  na¬ 
tives  more  than  it  uplifts  them,  because — sad 
to  relate — the  influences  of  trade  and  commerce 

upon  the  aborigines  are  degrading. 

Not  many  miles  back  from  the  coast  begin 
gradual  undulations  of  land,  succeeded  by  con¬ 
spicuous  elevations  and  mountains  running 
parallel  with  the  coast.  Rivers  and  their  tribu¬ 
taries  flow  gently  over  beds  of  sand  and  gravel, 
and  then,  meeting  huge  rocks,  dash  wildly 
down  on  their  journey  to  the  sea. 

Throughout  Liberia  the  climate  is  salubrious 
and  the  soil  is  thus  capable  of  producing  in 
abundance  all  the  tropical  vegetation  for  which 
the  continent  is  noted.  Adverse  critics  have 
called  the  climate  the  hottest  on  earth,  but  it 
is  not  nearly  so  dangerous  as  that  of  Sierra 
Leone,  immediately  to  the  northwest. 


PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH  11 


January  is  the  warmest  month.  There  are 
two  rainy  seasons,  yielding  over  150  inches  in 
rain  per  year — one  in  June  and  July;  the 
other  in  October  and  November.  There  is  a 
marked  difference  between  the  climate  of  the 
forest  region  and  that  of  the  Mandigo  Plateau. 
In  the  forest  region  the  dry  season  is  short  and 
is  the  hottest  part  of  the  year,  including  the 
months  of  December,  January  and  February. 
At  this  season  the  temperature  ranges  from 
55  degrees  at  night  to  100  degrees  in  the  shade 
at  midday. 

During  the  wet  season  the  daily  range  is 
almost  nothing,  the  thermometer  standing  at 
about  75  degrees.  The  coolest  month  of  the 
year  is  August,  when  the  day  temperature  is 
69  degrees  and  the  night  65  degrees. 

Upon  the  Plateau  the  annual  rain  fall  is  be¬ 
lieved  to  be  not  more  than  from  60  to  70  inches. 
The  dry  season  lasts  from  November  to  May, 
during  which  time  vegetation  is  parched.  The 
nights,  however,  are  cool,  and  at  an  altitude 
of  3,000  feet  become  cold.  The  hottest  period 
of  the  entire  year  is  at  the  beginning  and  end 
of  the  rainv  season,  when  the  thermometer 
sometimes  registers  100  degrees  or  more  at  mid- 
da  v. 

•j 

There  are  many  rivers  in  Liberia.  All  are 
comparatively  small  and  shallow,  though  widen¬ 
ing  somewhat  as  they  near  the  mouth.  Few  of 
them  are  navigable  to  any  distance,  and  even 
then  only  by  small  boats.  The  St.  Paul  River, 
supposed  to  be  200  miles  long  can  be  ascended 
only  to  a  distance  of  25  miles;  the  Dukovia 
only  about  30  miles;  while  the  Cavally,  con¬ 
sidered  by  some  the  longest  river  in  the  Re- 
public,  is  navigable  for  about  80  miles. 

There  is  an  absence  of  real  lake-,  though  the 
country  abounds  in  lagoons  which  are  fre¬ 
quently  referred  to  a^  lakes— a-,  ‘or  example, 
Fishermen’s  Lake  and  Sheppard  Lake. 

All  the  waters  provide  fish  in  abundance. 
The  natives  seldom  use  hook  and  line,  but 
go  into  the  waters  with  basket  and  net. 


12  PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH 


As  may  be  judged  from  the  descriptions  al¬ 
ready  given,  the  scenic  beauty  of  Liberia  is 
equal  to  that  of  any  territory  of  equal  size  on 
earth.  There  is  a  rugged  grandeur  that  vies 
with  the  Rocky  Mountains  or  the  Swiss  Alps. 
There  is  a  wealth  of  foliage  as  varicolored  and 
prodigal  as  that  of  Jamaica  or  Java.  There  are 
fertile  vallevs  blooming  with  the  exuberance 
of  an  American  June  day ;  trees  bending  under 
the  weight  of  luscious  fruit,  and  lands  running 
over  with  rich  tropical  products  of  commerce. 
In  the  virgin  forests  are  many  varieties  of  valu¬ 
able  timber,  while  in  the  clearings  dotting  the 
hillsides  are  ripening  fields  of  grains  arid  roots. 
Horses  and  cattle  roam  the  plains,  and  herds 
of  elephants,  furnishing  ivory,  feed  in  the  up¬ 
lands.  These  latter,  with  buffalo  and  other 
game,  give  exciting  sport  to  the  intrepid  hunter. 

Quite  five-sixths  of  the  area  of  Liberia  is 
covered  with  forests,  dense  even  for  the  tropics. 
Through  these  magnificent  stretches  of  woods 
the  sun  strikes  down  its  flickering  rays.  Pene¬ 
trating  the  deep,  rich  green  of  the  foliage  and 
reflected  against  the  broad  leaves  of  trees  and 
shrubbery,  the  woodland  is  bathed  in  a  mellow 
refreshment. 

In  the  giant  treetops,  whose  wide-spreading 
branches  form  a  hugh  natural  canopy,  are 
heard  the  fascinating  love  notes  of  birds,  and 
leaping  and  swinging  from  limb  to  limb,  in 
gleeful  mischievous  spirit,  performing  a  thou¬ 
sand  pranks,  are  hordes  of  monkeys. 

Numerous  rivulets,  whose  transparent  waters 
reveal  the  beds  of  sand  and  gravel  over  which 
they  flow,  and  with  the  purity  and  excellence 
which  only  the  health-giving  mountain  and 
forest  can  import,  empty  themselves  into  rivers 
on  whose  calm  surface  float  fragrant  lilies, 
blended  with  the  reflected  imager  oe  sky  and 
shore.  On  their  banks  grow  in  gorgeous  pro¬ 
fusion  wild  flowers  and  palms;  and  festoons  of 
parasitic  plants  hang  from  the  tops  of  the  tall¬ 
est  trees  to  the  water's  edge. 

Tl  ie  plains  are  covered  with  tall  grasses  and 


PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH  13 


bush  of  such  density  that  one  is  completely 
hidden  amidst  the  mass  and  confusion.  The 
very  paths  beneath  the  feet  are  so  he^et  with 
luxuriant  weeds  that  it  is  not  possioie  to  see  on 
what  one  is  walking. 

And  above  all,  Liberia  is  a  land  of  flowers. 
Most  or  us  are  accustomed  to  hear  so  much 
that  is  unattractive  and  repellent  about  Africa 
in  general  and  Liberia  in  particlar,  that  it  is 
well  to  correct  this  mistaken  impression. 

Crowning  the  scenic  splendor  of  the  little 
Republic  are  the  flowers.  They  differ  from 
those  of  the  temperate  climes  in  brilliancy  of 
color,  luxuriance  of  growth,  and  in  breathing 
their  odors  only  after  sunsec.  There  is  the 
frangipanni  tree,  exhaling  its  delicate  fragrance 
and  casting  its  welcome  shade.  Beautiful  jessa¬ 
mines  grow  in  the  forest.  The  stately  oleander 
lifts  twenty  Met  high,  its  pink  flowers  objects 
of  beauty  and  richness.  The  lily  is  notable 
for  delicacy  and  fragrance;  the  most  remark¬ 
able  being  the  chandelier  lily,  with  its  six  petals 
four  inches  long,  hanging  from  beneath  six 
stamens  an  inch  shorter,  and  growing  out  of 
the  margin  of  a  tunnel-shaped  corolla.  There 
are  lofty  palms  and  tangled  bamboos,  present¬ 
ing  a  beautiful  picture  as  the  prismatic  hues 
of  the  sun  are  reflected  on  leaf  and  blade  and 
stalk. 

Africa  at  large  may  still  be  the  “Dark  Con¬ 
tinent,”  but  Liberia  is  one  of  its  brightest  spots, 
for  there  the  Creator  has  scattered  his  boun¬ 
teous  gifts  with  a  lavish  hand.  Flowers  are 
always  blooming  and  birds  are  ever  singing, 
and  in  very  truth,  the  desert  does  “rejoice  and 
blossom  as  the  rose.” 

If  nature  can  do  so  much  to  beautify  the 
Republic  and  make  it  a  garden  spot,  what  may 
not  man  do.  assisted  by  nature’s  God,  to  de¬ 
velop  it  and  place  it  in  the  front  rank  of  the 
nations  of  the  earth. 

The  capital  of  the  Republic  of  Liberia  is  the 
citv  of  Monrovia,  named  after  President  Mon- 
roe,  of  the  United  States.  It  is  situated  at  the 


14  PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH 


mouth  of  the  St.  Paul  River,  on  the  coast. 

The  city  is  built  on  a  rugged  ridge,  and 
looking  off  from  the  piazza  of  the  highest  build¬ 
ing  in  the  town,  a  splendid  view  may  be  had 
of  most  of  the  capital  and  the  surrounding 
country.  Nestling  amid  a  variety  of  tropical 
fruit-bearing  trees,  the  attractive  houses  pay 
a  silent  compliment  to  their  owners. 

The  population  of  Monrovia,  including  the 
suburb  of  Krootown,  is  about  6,000  people.  The 
town  is  full  of  activity  and  generally  alive  with 
people — mostly  residents  and  natives,  and  often 
foreigners  and  visitors. 

The  approach  to  Monrovia  from  the  sea  pre¬ 
sents  a  unique  and  attractive  appearance.  Com¬ 
ing  from  a  distant  land,  the  change  and  scene 
are  more  strikingly  pronounced.  It  is  like 
entering  a  new  world  and  one  gazes  intently 
about  in  child-like  wonder  and  delight. 

Yonder  is  Krootown,  a  native  village  lying 
on  the  beach,  with  its  more  than  300  dwellings 
and  its  noisy  bustling  populace.  To  the  north 
rises  Cape  Mount,  lifting  like  a  sentinel  from 
out  of  the  sea  and  standing  in  bold  contrast  to 
the  low-lying  coast  land.  In  the  same  direction 
is  the  white  and  regular  shore  line,  stretching 
as  far  as  the  eye  can  see.  To  the  northeast  are 
the  high  and  healthful  uplands  of  the  interior, 
with  their  numerous  pagan  tribes  and  vast  phy¬ 
sical  resources.  Stockton  Creek  and  the  Mesu- 
rado  River,  as  well  as  the  St.  Paul,  wind  their 
silvery  way  through  the  country.  To  the  south 
and  west  rolls  the  great  Atlantic,  4,000  miles 
across  to  the  eastern  shore  of  South  America. 

Monrovia  boasts  a  Government  College  and 
one  conducted  by  Methodist  missionaries.  The 
city  is  also  the  seat  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Bishop  and  of  an  American  and  Roman  Cath¬ 
olic  mission.  Here,  too,  are  the  headquarters 
of  the  German  and  South  African  Cable  Com¬ 
panies,  since  Liberia  has  declared  with  the  Allies 
in  the  great  war  now  going  on,  the  former  has 
been  taken  over  by  the  government  of  the  Re¬ 
public. 


PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH  15 


The  exports  from  Monrovia  are  palm  oil  and 
kernels,  coffee,  ginger,  fiber,  cocoa,  dyewoods 
and  rubber  to  the  amount  of  $3,000,000  annu¬ 
ally.  These  exports  were  chiefly  to  Great 
Britain  and  Germany  before  the  war. 

QUESTIONS  ON  CHAPTER  I 

1.  What  is  the  origin  of  the  name  of 
Liberia? 

2.  Describe  the  exact  location  of  Liberia. 

3.  To  what  coast  section  does  it  correspond 
and  belong? 

4.  What  is  the  extent  of  Liberia’s  coast 
line? 

5.  When  and  by  whom  were  the  boun¬ 
daries  of  Liberia  fixed? 

6.  How  much  of  the  country  is  under 
development? 

7.  What  is  the  nature  of  the  coast? 

8.  What  about  the  harbors? 

9.  What  is  the  nature  of  the  interior? 

10.  What  is  the  difference  between  the  na¬ 
tives  of  the  coast  and  interior,  and  why? 

11.  Describe  the  climate  of  Liberia. 

12.  Name  the  rivers  of  Liberia. 

13.  What  about  the  lakes? 

14.  What  is  the  character  of  the  scenery? 

15.  Mention  some  of  the  flowers. 

16.  What  is  the  capital  of  Liberia? 

17.  Describe  its  location. 

18.  What  is  its  population? 

19.  Name  some  of  its  exports. 

20.  ’What  are  some  of  the  institutions? 


16  PEEBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH 


CHAPTER  II 
Historical 

The  Republic  of  Liberia  owes  its  origin  to 
the  efforts  of  the  National  Colonization  Society 
of  America,  organized  in  1816,  for  the  purpose 
of  colonizing  in  Africa  the  free  colored  people 
in  the  United  States.  Some  practical  solution 
of  what  was  even  then  recognized  as  the  Negro 
problem  had  been  sought  by  American  philan¬ 
thropists  as  far  back  as  1773. 

Strange  to  say,  the  very  first  practical  step 
toward  the  solution  of  the  problem  of  the  black 
man  was  taken  by  a  black  man,  Paul  Cuffe. 
In  1815,  one  year  before  the  organization  of 
the  Colonization  Society,  this  Negro  carried  to 
Africa,  at  his  own  expense,  a  score  of  his  coun¬ 
trymen  whom  he  landed  at  Sierra  Leone.  This 
feat  strengthened  the  faith  of  the  Society  in 
the  colonization  idea. 

The  first  attempt  to  locate,  which  was  made 
in  Sherbo  Island,  south  of  Sierra  Leone,  in 
1820,  on  account  of  the  excellent  harbor  there, 
failed  because  of  the  unhealthy  character  of 

t 

the  locality.  But  in  December,  1321.  a  treaty 

kJ  /  J  %j 

was  concluded  by  Lieutenant  Stockton  with 
certain  native  princes,  by  which  a  tract  of  land 
suitable  for  the  purpose  was  acquired  about 
Cape  Montserrado. 

It  was  some  weeks  before  the  hostility  of 
the  natives,  who  were  wedded  to  the  slave  trade, 
could  be  overcome;  but  in  April,  1822,  active 
operations  were  begun  on  the  mainland.  A 
30-acre  tract  was  alloted  each  n  in  with  the 
means  of  cultivating  it. 

The  Society  agents  became  discouraged  at 
the  difficulties  that  were  met  and  with  the 
faint-hearted  pioneers  returned  to  America;  but 
the  strong-hearted  rallied  around  a  determined 
Negro,  Elijah  Johnson,  and  remained. 

The  little  colony  was  not  without  its  trials 
and  ordeals.  Made  up  of  black  people  with¬ 
out  money  or  education  and  with  their  man- 


**v 


>  . 


I 


/ 


* 


\ 


i 


'■ 


I’m  on  my  way  to  the  mission.’ 


mm§ 

■  MSmStm 

* 


A  Warehouse 


PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH  17 


hood  crushed  out  through  the  cruel  servitude 
of  the  great  Republic,  they  were  ill-fitted  as 
pioneers  and  colonists.  There  was  a  hostile 
people  to  subdue  and  a  deadly  climate  to  con¬ 
quer,  with  quinine  and  other  anti-febrin  drugs 
as  vet  unknown. 

But  these  brave  people  did  not  quail.  They 
adopted  an  appropriate  and  inspiring  motto — 
“The  love  of  liberty  brought  us  here” — and 
there  they  stayed,  and  there  they  have  been 
ever  since.  They  were  the  founders  of  the 
Republic  of  Liberia,  as  the  Pilgrim  fathers  were 
the  founders  of  the  Republic  of  the  United 
States,  and  their  motto  has  become  the  official 
motto  of  a  recognized  commonwealth.  Without 
the  aid  of  a  mother  country,  they  fought  back 
or  assimilated  hostile  tribes,  waged  successful 
warfare  against  disease,  and  set  about  to  raise 
upon  that  distant  shore  the  banner  of  Negro 

liberty  and  independence. 

As  America  has  her  historic  days,  recording 
some  victory  over  the  native  savages  or  the 
more  civilized  tyrant  across  the  seas,  so  Liberia 
today  celebrates  her  historic  occasions  in  honor 
of  these  pioneer  colonfsts  who  triumphed  over 
the  hostile  tribes  that  would  block  their  way. 
Such  a  day  is  the  first  of  December  and  such 
an  immortal  pioneer  is  Matilda  Newport,  whose 
memory  is  cherished  and  revered.  It  happened 
this  wise: 

Every  effort,  both  diplomatic  and  military, 
was  exerted  by  the  colonists  to  protect  them¬ 
selves  against  hostile  assaults.  But  in  spite  of 
all,  the  little  band  was  attacked  on  the  morn¬ 
ing  of  November  11,  1822,  by  eight  hundred 
natives,  armed  with  cutlasses  and  war  knives. 
They  were  repulsed  by  thirty-five  colonists,  all 
of  whom  were  capable  of  bearing  arms. 

Incensed  by  their  defeat,  the  natives  increased 
their  forces  to  nearly  sixteen  hundred,  and 
determined  to  expel  the  colonists  from  the  Cape, 
returned  to  the  attack  before  dawn  on  December 
1.  As  they  made  charge  after  charge  they  were 
resisted  by  the  courage  and  valor  of  the  few 


18  PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH 


colonists;  but  as  the  latter  were  so  greatly  out¬ 
numbered  it  seemed  as  though  they  must  be 
destroyed  by  the  invaders. 

It  was  at  this  crisis,  when  the  strongest  valor 
was  nearly  faltering  and  the  bravest  hearts 
were  about  despairing,  that  Matilda  Newport 
stepped  forward  and  touched  off  a  deserted 
cannon,  which  made  such  deafening  noise  and 
sent  such  fear  into  the  ranks  of  the  enemy  that 
they  fled  in  dismay  and  defeat.  Matilda  New¬ 
port,  by  her  quick  thought  and  dauntless  ac¬ 
tion,  not  onlv  saved  from  destruction  the  little 

/  *j 

colonial  seed  destined  to  blossom  into  the  Re¬ 
public,  but  enrolled  herself  among  the  heroes 
and  heroines  of  history. 

So,  as  America  celebrates  her  historic  days 
and  pays  tribute  to  her  departed  heroes,  Liberia 
observes^  her  December  first,  to  render  her  de¬ 
votion  to  Matilda  Newport  and  to  take  new 
inspiration  from  the  magic  of  her  name.  But 
for  the  courage  and  sacrifice  of  these  early  pa¬ 
triots  there  would  have  been  no  colony,  and 
perhaps  no  Liberia. 

After  this  the  colony  was  enlarged  by  ‘  the 
honorable  purchase  of  ,  new  lands  from  the 
natives  of  the  country.  New  settlements  were 
formed  at  Cape  Mount  and  in  the  newly  ac¬ 
quired  Bassa  Land,  in  which,  in  1834,  a  town 
was  founded  and  called  Edina,  in  acknowledg¬ 
ment  of  pecuniary  aid  sent  to  the  colonists  from 
Edinburgh.  Many  of  the  neighboring  chiefs 
were  received  into  the  colony  and  others  were 
subdued. 

But  trials  of  many  kinds,  deprivations  and 
dissensions  were  the  lot  of  the  colony,  managed 
as  it  was  oy  a  society  which  did  not  fully  know 
whether  its  aims  were  sentimental  or  practical. 
Accordingly,  in  1846,  the  American  Coloniza¬ 
tion  Society,  in  agreement  with  its  original  com¬ 
pact  to  resign  the  powers  delegated  to  it  when¬ 
ever  the  people  should  became  capable  of  con¬ 
ducting  the  government,  or  whenever  the  peo¬ 
ple  should  desire  it,  peaceably  withdrew  its 
supervision  and  left  the  people  to  the  govern- 


PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH  19 


ment  of  themselves.  By  a  set  of  resolutions, 
in  January,  1846,  all  political  connection  with 
the  people  of  Liberia  was  dissolved  and  the 
delegated  power  was  returned. 

In  the  following  year,  on  the  twenty-sixth 
day  of  July,  1847,  the  people  of  the  common¬ 
wealth  in  convention  assembled,  in  the  city  of 
Monrovia,  declared  themselves  a  free,  sovereign 
and  independent  state  by  the  name  of  the  Re¬ 
public  of  Liberia,  and  were  recognized  as  such 
by  the  important  countries  of  the  world. 

At  once  Liberia  began  to  show  prosperity. 
Numerous  churches  and  schools  were  founded; 
a  regular  postal  system  was  introduced;  news¬ 
papers  were  established ;  and  slavery  in  the 
neighboring  states  was  abolished.  The  popu¬ 
lation  has  increased  by  migrations  from  Amer¬ 
ica  and  by  accessions  from  native  tribes.  From 
time  to  time,  as  circumstances  required  it,  the 
territory  has  been  extended  by  purchase  from 
the  lords  of  the  soil.  With  this  increase  of 
population  and  extension  of  territory  has  been 
the  growth  in  commerce,,  until  now  the  flags 
of  all  nations  float  off  the  shore  and  the  mer¬ 
chants  of  all  countries  engage  in  reciprocal  and 
profitable  trade. 

During  the  seventy  years  of  life  of  the  Re¬ 
public  the  growth  has  been  gradual  and  steady, 
and  today  Liberia  boasts  truly  and  unmistak¬ 
ably  a  record  of  achievement  unsurpassed  by 
any  other  country  of  equal  age  struggling 
against  equal  handicaps.  It  is  a  well-governed 
and  prosperous  country,  cheerfully  working  out 
its  own  destiny,  and  is  fast  becoming  a  recog¬ 
nized  factor  in  the  development  of  Africa.  The 
Liberians  are  a  patriotic,  liberty-loving  people 
who  patiently  but  confidently  hope  and  believe 
that  the  Negro  race,  and  particularly  the  Negro 
in  America,  will  recognize  and  accept  their  flag 
as  the  beacon  light  of  opportunity  and  the 
emblem  of  real  libertv. 

As  is  the  case  with  our  Fourth  of  July,  the 
Liberians  zealously  celebrate  their  “Independ¬ 
ence  Day,”  the  twenty-sixth  of  July.  Many 


20  PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH 


little  hearts  beat  with  anxiety  as  they  watch 
the  sun  rise  on  that  glorious  day,  for  nothing 
must  mar  the  festivities  observed  in  all  the 
schools.  When  the  school  hour  arrives  the  pri¬ 
mary  students  with  the  teachers,  march  in 
double  file  with  measured  steps  to  the  main 
building  where  they  join  in  the  exercises  with 
the  older  scholars.  A  program  is  gone  through, 
including  reading,  singing  and  recitations,  dur¬ 
ing  which  a  teacher  gives  some  facts  about  the 
twenty-sixth  of  July,  followed  by  appropriate 
remarks.  Then  a  scholar  waves  the  Liberian 
flag  as  the  school  repeats: 

“I  pledge  my  allegiance  to  the  flag. 

And  to  the  Kepublic  for  which  it  stands, 

One  country,  one  flag,  one  nation  indivisible.” 

The  first  chords  of  Liberia’s  national  anthem 
sound  on  the  organ  as  the  pledge  ends.  The 
boys  and  girls  join  in  singing: 

All  hail,  Liberia,  hail! 

_  This  glorious  land  of  liberty 
Shall  long  be  ours. 

Tho’  new  her  name, 

Green  be  her  fame, 

And  mighty  be  her  pow’rs.. 

In  joy  and  gladness,  with  our  hearts  united, 
Well  shout  the  freedom  of  a  race  benighted; 
Long  live  Liberia,  happy  land, 

A  home  of  glorious  liberty  by  God's  command. 

All  hail,  Liberia,  hail ! 

In  union  strong  success  is  sure ; 

We  cannot  fail 
With  God  above, 

Our  right  to  prove, 

We  will  the  world  assail. 

With  heart  and  hand  our  country’s  cause 
defending, 


PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH  21 


We  meet  the  foe,  with  valor  unpretending; 
Long  live  Liberia,  happy  land, 

A  home  of  glorious  liberty  by  God’s  command. 

At  the  close  of  the  anthem  the  boys  and  girls 
file  out  of  the  schoolroom  to  a  lively  march. 

Liberia  has  been  justly  called  the  “garden 
spot  of  West  Africa.”  Whether  judged  by  her 
magnificent  scenery,  or  her  rich  natural  re¬ 
sources,  or  her  inviting  labor  market,  or  her 
absolute  political  equality,  or  her  virgin  fields 
and  forests,  she  presents  to  the  ambitious,  as¬ 
piring  Negro  an  opportunity  without  an  equal 
anywhere  else  on  earth.  The  old  policies  which 
retarded  her  material  and  political  development 
and  made  her  the  object  of  foreign  ridicule  and 
contempt  have  been  abandoned.  The  citizens 
now  fully  realize  their  responsibility  as  the 
only  Negro  Republic  in  Africa,  and  are  fast 
measuring  up  to  the  opportunity  of  proving  to 
the  world  that  the  Negro  is  capable  of  standing 
alone  and  of  conducting  successfully  and  with 
credit  a  government  upon  Negro  soil  worthy 
of  a  place  among  the  other  recognized  nations 
of  the  world. 

QUESTIONS  ON  CHAPTER  II 

1.  What  was  the  origin  of  Liberia? 

2.  Who  was  the  first  pioneer? 

3.  When  was  the  first  settlement  made,  and 
by  whom  ? 

4.  Was  it  successful? 

5.  What  other  settlement  was  made? 

6.  What  were  some  of  the  early  diffi¬ 
culties  ? 

7.  What  is  the  motto  of  Liberia? 

8.  Who  was  Matilda  Newport? 

9.  How  did  the  colony  grow? 

10.  When  and  where  was  Edina  founded? 

11.  When  did  Liberia  become  a  Republic?^ 


/ 


22  PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH 


12.  What  were  the  causes  leading  up  to  it? 

13.  What  effect  did  independence  have 
upon  the  country? 

14.  Has  the  Republic  proved  a  success? 

15.  What  is  the  present  condition  of 
Liberia  ? 

16.  What  are  the  hopes  of  its  citizens? 

17.  When  is  their  Independence  Day? 

18.  How  is  it  celebrated? 

19.  Has  the  Negro  shown  himself  capable 
of  self  government? 


PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH  23 


CHAPTER  III 
Political 

The  constitution  of  Liberia  is  framed  after 
that  of  the  United  States.  Executive  authority 
is  vested  in  a  President  and  Vice-President, 
elected  for  four  years,  and  a  council  of  six  mem¬ 
bers.  Legislative  power  rests  with  a  Congress 
of  two  houses,  known  as  the  Senate,  consisting 
of  four  members,  and  the  House  of  Represen¬ 
tatives,  with  fourteen  members. 

Voters  must  be  of  Negro  blood  and  own  real 
estate.  Natives  have  not  yet  availed  themselves 
generally  of  the  suffrage.  No  foreigner  can 
own  real  estate  without  the  consent  of  the 
government. 

The  coast  territory  is  formed  into  the  counties 
of  Bassa,  Maryland  and  Sino,  with  one  super¬ 
intendent  each,  and  Mont  Serrado  with  four 
superintendents. 

In  1911  a  plan  was  agreed  upon  by  which 
the  army  was  reorganized  by  American  officers 
to  assure  the  maintenance  of  peace.  All  able- 
bodied  men  between  16  and  50  are  liable  for 
military  service.  The  actual  military  forces 
consist  of  militia,  volunteers  and  police. 

British  money  is  used  in  the  Republic,  but 
American  money  figures  usually  in  the  keep¬ 
ing  of  accounts.  There  is,  however,  a  Liberian 
coinage  and  a  rather  large  paper  currency. 

The  weights  and  measures  are  as  a  rule 
British. 

The  official  language  of  Liberia  is  English. 

The  Declaration  of  Independence  was  pub¬ 
lished  July  26,  1847.  It  is  a  calm,  dignified 
statement  of  the  causes  which  led  the  Liberians 
to  expatriate  themselves  from  the  land  of  their 
nativity  and  settle  on  the  barbarous  West  Afri¬ 
can  coast,  and  then  to  organize  themselves  into 
an  independent  state. 

The  founders  of  the  Republic  were  originally 
inhabitants  of  the  United  States  where  every 
avenue  to  improvement  was  effectually  closed 


24  PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH 


against  them,  merely  because  of  the  color  of 
their  skin.  Foreigners  of  all  other  colors  were 
welcomed  to  the  country,  which  was  the  black 
man’s  only  home,  and  were  preferred  before 
him. 

To  all  their  complaints  there  was  turned  only 
a  deaf  ear.  All  hope  of  better  conditions  died 
in  their  hearts  and  they  looked  across  the  seas 
for  some  asylum  and  escape  from  the  degra¬ 
dation  and  injustice  heaped  upon  them  in  their 
native  land. 

As  stated  in  a  previous  chapter,  the  western 
coast  of  Africa  was  the  place  selected  for  their 
future  home  by  benevolent  and  philanthropic 
Americans  interested  in  the  betterment  of  the 
oppressed  American  Negro.  Under  the  auspices 
of  the  American  Colonization  Society,  they'  set¬ 
tled  in  Liberia  where  they  have  grown  and 
prospered.  As  the  years  passed  the  Society 
withdrew  from  all  direct  and  active  part  in 
the  administration  of  the  government,  except 
in  the  appointment  of  the  Governor,  chosen 
from  among  the  colonists,  for  the  purpose  of 
testing  the  ability  of  the  people  to  manage  their 
own  affairs.  Be  it  said  to  the  everlasting  credit 
of  those  pioneers  and  early  settlers  that  no  com¬ 
plaint  was  ever  made  of  bad  management  or 
maladministration.  Accordingly,  in  January, 
1846,  the  American  Colonization  Society  re¬ 
linquished  wholly  all  connection  with  the  gov¬ 
ernment  and  affairs  of  Liberia,  and  left  the 
people  to  the  government  of  themselves. 

The  following  year  the  Declaration  of  Inde¬ 
pendence  was  published,  setting  forth  the  fore¬ 
going  facts,  and  the  Liberian  constitution  was 
adopted.  The  people  threw  themselves  with 
confidence  upon  the  just  consideration  of  the 
civilized  world. 

entirety,  is  appended  to  this  booklet,  breathes 
the  hopes  and  purposes  of  the  people  of  Liberia 
“to  exercise  and  improve  those  faculties  which 
impart  to  man  his  dignity,  to  nourish  in  our 
hearts  the  flame  of  honorable  ambition,  to 
cherish  and  indulge  these  aspirations  which  a 


V 


Rev. 

Christian, 

Statesman, 


Lott  Cary. 
Missionary, 
Pioneer. 


Honorable  E.  Lyons,  Consul  General  of  Liberia. 
Honorable  G.  M.  Parker,  Senator  of  Liberia. 


PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH  25 


Beneficent  Creator  hath  implanted  in  every 
human  heart,  and  to  evince  to  all  who  despise, 
ridicule  and  oppress  our  race  that  we  possess 
with  them  a  common  nature,  are  with  them  sus¬ 
ceptible  of  equal  refinement,  and  capable  of 
equal  advancement  in  all  that  adorns  and  dig¬ 
nifies  man.” 

Under  such  a  constitution  the  hopes  of 
Liberia  could  not  help  being  realized.  The 
Republic  is  now  the  happy  home  of  thousands 
who  were  once  the  victims  of  oppression.  Her 
door  stands  wide  open  to  other  thousands  who 
are  looking  with  anxious  eye  for  some  haven, 
of  rest. 

Her  courts  of  justice  are  open  equally  to  the 
strangers  or  the  citizen  for  the  redress  of  griev¬ 
ances,  for  the  remedy  of  injuries  and  for  the 
punishment  of  crime. 

Her  numerous  and  woll-attended  schools  are 
kindling  the  children  with  the  principles  of 
humanity,  virtue  and  religion. 

Her  churches  providing  a  retreat  where,  free 
from  fear  or  molestation,  they  can  in  peace  and 
security  worship  the  common  Father  of  all  man¬ 
kind,  bear  testimony  to  their  piety  and  their 
acknowledgment  of  God’s  provident  dealing 
with  Liberia. 

And  the  native  African,  their  own  brethren, 
have  been  touched  with  the  light  of  a  prac¬ 
tical  Christianity ;  the  slave  trade  has  been 
abolished  so  far  as  their  influence  extends,  and 
barbarous  tribes  are  accepting  the  extended 
hand  of  industry,  moral  restraint  and  civiliza¬ 
tion. 

With  such  principles  as  these  embodied  in 
their  Declaration  of  Independence,  and  such 
provisions  made  and  long  carried  out  under 
their  constitution.  Liberia  appealed  to  the  na¬ 
tions  of  Christendom,  seventy  years  ago,  “that 
they  will  regard  us  with  the  sympathy  and 
friendly  consideration  to  which  the  peculiarities 
of  our  condition  entitle  us,  and  to  extend  to 
us  that  comity  which  marks  the  friendly  inter¬ 
course  of  civilized  and  independent  commu¬ 
nities.” 


% 


26  PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH 

QUESTIONS  ON  CHAPTER  III 

1.  After  what  is  the  Constitution  of  Liberia 
modeled  ? 

2.  In  whom  is  the  executive  authority 
vested  ? 

3.  Describe  the  legislative  power. 

4.  What  are  the  requirements  for  voting? 

5.  Name  the  counties  of  Liberia. 

6.  What  are  the  military  provisions? 

7.  What  money  is  used  in  Liberia? 

8.  What  weights,  measures  and  language? 

9.  When  was  the  Declaration  of  Independ¬ 
ence  published? 

10.  What  were  the  causes  leading  up  to  it? 

11.  From  what  country  were  the  original 
settlers  and  founders? 

12.  Under  what  auspices  did  they  settle  in 
Liberia  ? 

13.  When  did  the  Society  sever  connection 
with  the  affairs  of  Liberia? 

14.  When  was  the  Constitution  adopted? 

15.  To  what  extent  has  it  proven  a  success? 


/ 


PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH  27 


CHAPTER  IV 


Industrial 

Liberia  is  rich  in  its  natural  resources.  Per¬ 
haps  m  all  the  world  there  cannot  be  found  a 
more  fertile  soil  and  a  more  productive  country, 
according  to  size  and  so  far  as  it  has  been  cul¬ 
tivated  and  developed.  The  material  possibili¬ 
ties  are  wonderful— little  short  of  marvelous. 
Already  the  country  has  contributed  not  a  little 

a  Air  101  c1ine  European  and  her  own  citizens 
A.  Woerman,  of  the  Woerman  Steamship  Com- 
pany,  Hamburg,  laid  the  foundation  of  his 
now  large  possessions  in  Liberia  years  ago.  The 
great  commercial  and  political  interest  taken 
m  Liberia — as  indeed  in  all  Africa— by  the 
Powers  of  Europe  is  chiefly  because  of  the  ma¬ 
terial  possibilities. 

The  productions  of  nature  continue  their 
growth  through  all  seasons  of  the  year.  The 
u  11s  and  lowlands  are  clothed  with  a  verdure 
that  never  fades.  Even  the  natives,  with  little 
aDoi,  and  less  tools,  arid  no  skill,  raise  more 
gram  and  vegetables  than  they  can  consume 
or  find  a  ready  market  for.  Indeed,  they  do 
not  yet,  know  the  full  value  of  agriculture. 

I  heir  farm  life  is  rather  fitful  and  quite  meager. 

mid  great  riches  of  soil  and  luxuriant  vege¬ 
table  growth  they  are  poor  because  ignorant 
of  the  possibilities  within  their  reach.  Certain 
seasons  of  the  year  known  as  “hungry  times  ” 
are  more  or  less  frequent,  because  of  the  fickJe- 
nes  with  which  the  soil  is  cultivated.  And  yet 
there  is  no  end  to  the  vast  amount  of  natural 
productions  and  wealth  that  may  be  had  from 
the  earth,  when  the  natives  are  fully  taught 

tilling  agncllltllral  methods  and  systematic 

wnelraW^C^  t0  native  farm  life  are  many. 

.  hile  the  soil  is  loose  and  fertile,  vegetable  life 

is  rank  and  stubborn  because  neglected.  Farm 
implements  are  inadequate;  there  are  no  plows 
to  turn  up  the  fallow  ground.  A  short,  crooked 
hoe  is  used,  with  which  the  ground  is  simply 


28  PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH 


4 

scratched.  This  hoe  is  not  more  than  four 
inches  wide,  with  a  handle  about  twelve  inches 
long.  Farm  clearings  average  about  one  acre 
in  extent.  This  acre  is  attended  only  a  short 
while  when  other  clearings  are  made.  Super¬ 
stitions  are  carried  into  farm  life.  A  death  in 
a  town  is  sufficient  cause  for  abandoning  the 
place  and  opening  up  a  farm  elsewhere.  There 
are  farm  fetiches  to  make  the  farm  yield  abund¬ 
antly  and  to  counteract  curses  upon  it  by  en¬ 
vious  or  unfriendly  neighbors.  Here  is  a  great 
and  splendid  opportunity  for  the  Negro  in 
America  to  help  his  benighted  brothers  across 
the  sea.  Money  should  be  given  without  stint  to 


our  Foreign  Mission  Board  to  enable  it  to  en¬ 
large  the  scope  of  its  industrial  work  in  Liberia. 

There  are  horses  and  oxen  aplenty  but  not  a 
single  plow  in  use  in  the  country.  One  horse- 
or  ox-drawn  plow  would  do  more  to  keep  the 
coffee  farms,  for  instance,  clear  of  weeds  than 
a  dozen  native  hoes;  yet  not  one  is  used. 

But  this  is  only  the  dark  side  of  the  picture ; 
it  speaks  only  of  the  vast  latent  resources  await¬ 
ing  the  arrival  of  new  citizens  from  the  oppres¬ 
sion  of  America  to  the  freedom  of  Liberia.  Not 


only  are  all  the  Negroes  who  have  emigrated 
to  Liberia,  or  are  descendants  of  the  early  set¬ 
tlers,  engaged  in  lucrative  pursuits,  but  many 
of  the  natives  are  thrifty  and  prosperous. 
Among  the  various  tribes  considerable  atten¬ 
tion  is  give  not  only  to  agriculture,  but  also  to 
manufacture.  Extensive  tracts  of  land  are  un¬ 
der  cultivation.  Native  looms  are  busy  spin¬ 
ning  thousands  of  yards  of  cotton  material, 
work  in  metal,  leather,  wood,  bar  I:,  grass  and 
clay  bears  abundant  evidence  of  artistic  taste 
and  skill  in  handicraft. 

In  the  race  for  the  African  trade,  France 
Germany,  Great  Britain  and  other  European 
nations  rivalled  one  another  in  the  size  of  their 
fleets.  Prior  to  the  war  a  half  dozen  ships  of 
as  many  flags  migh  be  seen  most  any  time  in 
Liberian  harbors.  Hence  the  people,  Americo- 
Liberians  and  natives  alike,  came  to  look  across 


PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH  29 


the  sea  for  many  of  the  necessities  of  life.  But 
now,  if  a  vessel  drops  anchor  once  a  month 
.  even  in  the  harbor  of  Monrovia,  the  Capital, 
it  is  an  unusual  sight.  This  cessation  of  trade 
has  resulted  in  prohibitive  prices  for  foreign 
products:  flour,  $35  a  barrel;  bacon,  $1  per 
pound ;  butter,  $1.25 ;  rice,  40  cents,  and  so  on. 
And  also  as  a  consequence,  the  Liberians  are 
learning  to  look  within,  to  develop  their  own 
resources,  and  like  other  nations,  will  emerge 
from  the  war  a  wiser,  better  and  more  inde^ 
pendent  people. 

All  the  natives  are  not  nude,  but  are  dressed 
in  a  manner  adapted  to  their  climate  and  their 
simple  tastes.  Cotton  material  from  their  own 
looms  furnish  the  garments  for  both  men  and 
women.  Many  of  the  women  delight  in  per¬ 
sonal  ornament,  and  their  vanity,  like  that  of 
their  sisters  in  more  civilized  lands,  reveals 
itself  in  rich  and  costly  ornaments  of  gold  and 
silver. 

But  chief  among  the  industries  of  Liberia  is 
agriculture.  Cotton  grows  plentifully  in  some 
sections  of  the  interior;  the  sugar  cane  flour¬ 
ishes,  too;  and  plantains  and  bananas  grow 
in  endless  profusion.  In  the  clearings  may  be 
found  rice,  coffee,  edible  roots  and  oil  palms. 
Abundant  trees  are  laden  with  luscious  tropical 
fruits,  and  the  land  everywhere  yields  rubber, 
paisava,  gum  copal  and  kola. 

Salt  is  common,  and  in  some  sections  it  is 
interesting  to  see  the  natives  transport  it  in  what 
are  known  as  “salt  sticks.”  They  are  strips  of 
bamboo  about  three  feet  long  and  three  inches 
in  diameter  into  which  the  salt  is  closely  packed 
and  the  ends  covered  with  leaves.  This  prevents 
the  salt  from  getting  wet.  One  person  Usually 
carries  from  fifteen  to  twenty  of  these  sticks  for 
a  load,  and  fifty  sticks  of  salt  will  buy  a  bullock. 
It  is  an  article  much  in  demand  and  almost 
everything  can  be  bought  with  it. 

The  vast  virgin  forests  are  a  veritable  gold 
mine,  yielding  to  the  intelligent  and  organ¬ 
ized  efforts  of  the  thrifty  a  constant  and  profit- 


30  PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH 


able  return.  The  valuable  timbers,  among 
which  are  mahogany,  ebony,  rosewood  and 
canewood,  together  with  fibers,  gums  and  vines, 
offer  large  scope  for  lucrative  trade  and  com¬ 
merce-  The  natives  do  no  little  carving  in  these 
woods.  Mortars  for  cleaning  coffee  and  rice 
are  made  from  logs,  also  canoes  for  navigating 
the  streams  and  rivers.  Spoons,  too,  bowls, 
combs  and  wooden  images  may  be  seen  in  every 
town.  The  forests  are  cleared  for  land  cultiva¬ 
tion  by  cutting  down  the  trees  with  a  small 
ax  or  Iiatcliet.  In  preparing  for  farms,  the  rank 
brush  vines  and  trees  are  cleared  away,  and 
after  they  are  dry  they  are  burned.  This  process 
is  known  as  /‘cutting  farm.”  Cattle,  swine, 
fowl,  goats  and  sheep  thrive  without  feeding 
and  require  no  further  care  than  watching  that 
they  do  not  go  astray.  Cattle,  particularly,  are 
everywhere  in  large  numbers,  and  horses,  which 
do  not  thrive  on  the  coast,  are  found  in  droves 
in  the  interior — strong  and  healthy  animals, 
used  mostly  in  warfare  and  military  demon¬ 
strations. 

Very  little  as  yet  is  known  of  the  geology  of 
Liberia  or  of  actual  mineral  values.  Many 
metals  have  been  found  and  the  country  is  sup¬ 
posed  to  be  rich  in  them.  Gold  appears  to  be 
there  and  copper,  too,  while  rubies  of  good 
quality  have  been  discovered.  Companies  have 
been  organized  for  the  mining  of  diamonds  of 
which  it  is  said  actual  gems  have  been  discov-' 
ered.  But  mineral  development  has  scarcely 
begun,  though  it  is  admitted  that  in  the  bowels 
of  the  earth  is  mineral  wealth  to  an  extent  un¬ 
guessed.  It  requires  but  the  “open  sesame”  of 
pluck  and  pick  to  disclose  riches  beyond  the 
store  of  Ali  Baba. 

The  natives  make  many  ornaments  of  gold 
and  silver,  and  fashion  in  their  forges  many 
useful  implements  of  iron  which  is  abundant 
in  most  sections  of  the  country.  Some  of  these 
articles  are  the  hoe,  hatchet,  knives,  swords, 
needles,  arrowheads,  daggers  and  rings  for 
ankle  and  arm  ornamentation. 


PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH  31 

In  additions  to  the  organized  industries  of 
the  cities  and  towns,  many  of  the  natives  are 
skillful  at  weaving  mats,  making  baskets,  caps, 
fish  traps  of  bamboo,  grass  and  palm  leaf.  Some 
of  the  country  cloths  made  of  cotton  are  woven 
with  thread  dyed  with  herb  juices  and  are  very 
pretty  and  well  made.  Useful  vessels  are  made 
of  clay,  such  as  pots,  water  jars,  basins  and 
pipes,  some  being  decorated  with  geometrical 
figures. 

Among  the  natives  the  women  perform  much 
of  the  heavy  work,  such  as  bringing  wood  and 
water  and  cultivating  the  farms.  It  is  not  an 
unusual  thing  to  see  the  men  lolling  in  ham¬ 
mocks  while  the  women  labor  for  food.  They 
are  kept  busy  with  farm  life,  basket,  mat  and 
fishnet  making,  drying  seeds,  fish  and  meat  for 
food,  and  picking  and  preparing  cotton  for  the 
men  to  weave  into  cloth. 

The  chief  exports  of  Liberia  are  palm  oil  and 
kernels,  piasava,  rubber  and  ivory.  Before  the 
great  war  broke  out  70  per  cent,  of  the  trade 
was  with  Germany.  The  revenue  of  the  Re¬ 
public  is  about  $600,000  annually,  derived 
mainly  from  customs  duties.  A  system  of 
barter  prevails  in  the  interior.  Coin  and  paper 
money  as  used  in  the  coast  settlements  are  not 
in  circulation.  Tobacco,  salt,  gin  and  rum  con¬ 
stitute  money. 

Rum !  That  is  the  one  great  besetting  sin  of 
the  native — the  one  blight  upon  Liberia,  as  it 
is  upon  America — for  the  native  African  learns 
the  vices  of  American  and  European  civiliza¬ 
tion  before  he  learns  the  virtues,  and  rum  finds 
its  way  farther  into  the  interior  than  the  mis¬ 
sionary. 

Rum!  It  is  an  evil  against  winch,  unfortu¬ 
nately,  the  native  does  not  protest.  It  has  re¬ 
mained  for  enlightened  Europe  and  Christian 
America  to  cry  aloud  against  the  ruin  of  Africa 
by  the  rum  they  themselves  so  plentifully  and 
persistently  send  there.  No  race  is  so  quickly 
and  so  utterly  demoralized  by  liquor  as  the 


32  PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH 


African.  It  is  as  true  with  him  in  America 
as  it  is  with  him  in  Africa. 

One  cask  of  rum  shipped  by  some  enlight¬ 
ened  firm  of  some  Christian  country  has  devilled 
all  Africa,  Liberia  included,  and  now  the  liquor 
traffic  hovers  over  fair  Liberia  like  some  foul 
bird  of  ill  omen.  It  is  no  exaggeration  to  say 
that  there  exists  no  greater  enemy  to  Liberia 
and  her  people  than  this  debasing  evil  inflicted 
by  Christians  nations.  There  is  no  greater 
obstacle  to  the  progress  of  civilization  and  Chis- 
tianity  in  the  Republic  than  this  insidious  foe 
which  is  destroying  vigorous  manhood  and 
promising  womanhood. 

“What  white  man  make  it  for?”  is  the  un¬ 
answerable  question  the  poor  native  invariably 
asks  when  he  comes  to  himself,  recovers  his 
senses  for  his  drunken  stupor  and  revelries,  and 
sees  the  awful  havoc  wrought  by  rum.  Why, 
indeed — we  may  echo  the  great  question — do 
civilized  nations  send  missionaries  to  the 
heathen,  and  in  the  same  ship  send  tons  of  the 
damnation  to  sink  him  to  still  lower  depths 
of  shame  and  misery?  Can  we  wonder,  then, 
that  the  blind  heathen  should  ask  a  reason  for 
that  which  is  ruining  him  body  and  soul? 

Hear  a  native  Liberian  in  his  own  words: 

“Dem  first  stranger  dat  come  we  country  for 
trade  he  bring  too  much  rum.  Dem  rum  he 
waste  for  ground  (threw  upon  the  grQund). 
Bassa  men  no  like  him  den.  Lie  no  saby  um. 
Now  he  like  um  plenty.  He  be  fine. 

“Dem  daddy  (missionary)  say  rum  be  bad — 
he  kill  we  people,  he  do  all  dem  bad  ting.  He 
mouth  no  lie  bit,  but  he  no  tell  me  who  make 
dem  rum.  We.  no  make  um.  He  come  from 
big,  big  ’Merica  and  Europe.  Steamer  bring 
um  we  country.  White  man  make  um.  White 
man  mby  book  (Bible)  ;  black  man  no  saby 
book.  S' pose  rum  be  bad;  what  for  white  man 
make  um?  To  kill  we?  S’pose  white  man 
stop  for  make  um ;  stop  for  send  um  we  country ; 
we  no  drink  him  den.  We  no  die.” 


PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH  33 


The  sinning  nations  are  principally  Holland, 
Great  Britain,  the  United  States  and  Germany 
up  to  the  opening  of  the  war.  There  is  no  push¬ 
ing  the  evil  upon  the  shoulders  of  Europe; 
America  is  too  deeply  involved  for  that. 


Miss  Susie  M.  Taylor,  Organizer  of  the  Bi¬ 
ble  and  Industrial  Mission,  Bassa. 


34  PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH 

QUESTIONS  ON  CHAPTER  IV. 

1.  What  is  the  extent  of  the  natural  re¬ 
sources  of  Liberia? 

2.  Have  the  natives  developed  these  re¬ 
sources  ? 

3.  What  is  the  nature  of  their  farm  life? 

4.  Name  some  of  the  drawbacks  to  their 
farm  life? 

5.  To  what  extent  are  the  coast  inhabitants 
engaged  in  industries  and  agriculture? 

6.  Are  the  natives  nude  or  dressed? 

7.  What  is  the  chief  industry  of  Liberia? 

8.  What  are  some  of  the  agricultural  prod¬ 
ucts? 

9.  What  are  “salt  sticks?” 

10.  Name  the  chief  timbers. 

11.  What  live  stock  are  raised? 

12.  Describe  the  mineral  features. 

13.  What  native  use  is  made  of  the  min¬ 
erals? 

14.  What  are  some  other  native  industries? 

15.  What  are  the  chief  exports  of  Liberia? 

16.  What  is  the  annual  revenue? 

17.  What  is  the  extent  of  the  liquor  traffic? 

18.  Who  is  responsible  for  it? 


PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH  35 

:  CHAPTER  V 

Spiritual 

Liberia  contains  vastly  more  than  the  beau¬ 
tiful  scenery,  the  records  of  achievement,  the 
social  and  political  equality,  the  industrial  op¬ 
portunity  and  the  vast  natural  resources  de¬ 
scribed  in  the  preceding  chapters.  She  is  to 
answer  to  the  world  and  to  God  for  more  than 
the  gold  and  diamonds  and  timbers  and  com¬ 
mercial  products;  for  all  these  are  perishable. 
Though  they  offer  powerful  inducements  to 
ambitious  men  and  proud  nations  to  increase 
their  stores  of  wealth,  they  are  mean  and  paltry 
in  comparison  with  those  larger  and  grander 
possibilities  for  the  mental  and  moral  uplift 
of  the  people.  No  conceivable  riches  of  the  Re¬ 
public,  latent  or  developed,  are  equal  to  the 
value  of  those  millions  of  immortal  souls. 

“What  is  a  man  profited  if  he  gain  the  whole 
world  and  lose  his  own  soul?”  And  what  is 
a  nation  profited  if  it  gain  in  fields  and  mines 
and  revenues,  and  its  citizens  be  not  lifted  into 
mental  and  moral  development  and  brought 
into  contact  with  the  strengthening  influence 
of  the  Gospel  of  Christ?  One  native  of  Liberia 
lifted  out  of  the  darkness  of  heathenism  into 
the  light  of  civilization,  may  not  of  itself  trans¬ 
form  the  commercial  or  political  life  of  the 
Republic;  but  who  can  tell  the  far-reaching 
influence  of  one  such  moral  transformation 
upon  the  life  of  the  race  or  the  country?  That 
untutored  savage,  though  a  pagan,  is  for  all  that 
superior  to  the  lifeless  metal  or  the  senseless 
vegetation  in  the  womb  of  the  earth,  because 
unlike  the  things  of  earth,  he  was  made  in  the 
image  of  God. 

Religiously,  the  natives  of  Liberia  have 
yielded  largely  to  Mohammedanism,  though  for 
the  most  part  this  religion  is  a  crude  mixture 
of  paganism  and  Islam.  True,  some  of  the 
tribes,  like  the  Mandingoes,  are  devout  followers 
of  Mohammed.  They  read  the  Koran,  build 


36  PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH 


schools  for  instruction,  and  mosques  for  prayer, 
and  are  in  direct  communication  with  Mecca, 
to  which  they  make  regular  pilgrimages.  They 
are  aggressive  propagandists  of  Mohammedan¬ 
ism  which  is  rapidly  spreading  over  Western 
Africa  and  is  pressing  down  into  Liberia.  In¬ 
deed,  more  pagans  are  being  Mohammedanized 
in  Liberia  than  Christianized. 

But  to  a  large  extent  devil  worship,  with  all 
its  weird  and  uncanny  vagaries  and  mysteries, 
is  the  all-pervasive  law  of  the  native  of  Liberia. 
Evil  spirits  fill  tha  air  and  earth  and  sky,  and 
frequent  every  nook  and  corner  of  the  jungles. 
They  inhabit  dark  and  deep  caves  over  great 
rocks  and  trees  and  forbidding  streams.  They 
are  in  majestic  supremacy  and  are  accounted 
worthy  to  receive  honor  and  homage  of  their 
simple  and  deluded  worshippers,  even  to  sac¬ 
rificial  offerings  of  food  and  drink.  And  if  life 
would  be  bearable  and  successful,  charms  and 
fetiches  must  be  purchased  from  the  “devil 
doctor” — high  priests  of  the  evil  spirits — and 
these  worn  upon  the  body  to  ward  off  disease 
and  guard  against  misfortune  by  propitiating 
these  demon  spectres,  otherwise  disastrous  con¬ 
sequences  will  follow.  Such  is  the  religion  of 
the  natives  of  Liberia.  They  neglect  their 
homes,  their  farms,  everything,  and  devote 
themselves  to  the  observance  of  their  barbarous 
rites. 

But,  strange  to  say,  the  native  in  his  heathen 
life  does  not  consider  it  as  such.  The  descrip¬ 
tions  given  bv  Christians  of  his  heathensim  do 
not  exist  to  him.  It  is  only  when  lifted  out  of 
the  miry  clay  of  pagan  conditions  and  stood 
upon  the  rock  of  higher  ideas  and  broader  out¬ 
look  that  he  is  able  to  see  the  contrast  and 
appreciate  the  change.  He  always  rejoices  in 
the  transition  from  darkness  to  light.  Until 
then  he  is  the  child  of  some  charmed  influence. 
He  is  ever  alert  to  protect  himself  against  the 
forces  of  evil  about  him.  His  faith  rests  in  his 
fetich. 

As  a  result,  in  their  blindness  and  ignorance, 


PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH  37 


the  natives  resort  to  practices  which  are  most 
cruel,  horrible  and  revolting.  For  centuries 
these  things  have  been  going  on,  and  they  will 
•  continue  until  their  condition  is  bettered  by 
enlightenment  and  Christian  influence.  Mean¬ 
time,  moral  and  spiritual  night  rests  like  a  pall 
upon  the  people.  Rescue  must  come  from 
without.  In  their  superstition  and  degradation 
they  cannot  help  themselves.  With  out¬ 
stretched  hands  they  unconsciously  plead  for 
help. 

Polygamy,  too,  is  practiced  in  almost  every 
heathen  town  in  Liberia.  It  is  not  diminishing. 
Among  some  of  the  tribes,  like  the  Bassas, 
there  is  no  limit  to  the  number  of  wives  a  man 
may  have  if  he  can  purchase  them.  The  ques¬ 
tion  of  polygamy  is  stubborn  and  colossal.  The 
Christian  Church  in  Liberia  has  a  giant  antag¬ 
onist  in  this  deeply  rooted  and  universal  sys¬ 
tem. 

But  why  should  heathenism  be  so  prevalent 
in  ail  parts  of  Africa  when  all  parts  have  been 
partitioned  among  the  great  Powers  and 
brought  under  the  dominion  of  civilized,  Chris¬ 
tian  peoples? 

Because,  for  one  thing,  we  have  the  amazing 
spectacle  of  Christian  England  and  France  re¬ 
fusing  sanction  to  Christian  people  for  the  ex¬ 
tension  of  their  faith.  We  have  the  strange 
paradox  of  these  Christian  countries  practicing 
a  restrictive  policy  towards  Christian  missions 
and  giving  free  rein  to  Mohammedanism  and 
practically  becoming  patrons  of  the  Mohamme¬ 
dan  faith — on  the  ground  of  political  expedi- 
ency. 

There  is  no  question  involved  as  to  whether 
Europe  had  a  right  to  carve  up  Africa;  but 
whether,  having  done  so,  Europe  has  made  right 
use  of  her  privileges.  It  is  for  the  good  of  the 
world  that  large  sections  of  the  world  should 
not  be  left  in  barbarism;  that  no  race  has  a 
right  to  territory  which  it  is  unable  to  use  or 
which  it  uses  in  such  a  way  as  to  prove  detri¬ 
mental  to  mankind.  But  alongside  of  that 


38  PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH 


principle  stands  this:  That  civilized  nations 
in  taking  over  the  territory  of  barbarians,  are 
hound  to  give  proper  compensation;  to  make 
adequate  provision  for  the  moral  and  spiritual, 
as  well  as  material,  preservation  of  the  race; 
and  that  the  natives  shall  share  in  the  benefits 
of  the  new  order  of  things.  In  short,  Europe 
has  no  business  in  Africa  unless  it  is  for  the 
good  of  the  Africans  as  well  as  for  the  good  ef 
Europeans. 

Then,  for  another  thing,  heathenism  is  still 
so  prevalent  because  the  Christian  people  of 
Europe  and  America  have  failed  to  measure 
up  to  their  opportunity — almost  failed  to  do 
their  duty.  There  is  not  a  foot  of  Liberia,  not 
a  section  of  Africa,  that  could  not  be  civilized 
and  Christianized  by  aggressive  action  on  the 
part  of  church  and  state  working  in  harmony. 
Selfish  commercialism  can  be  held  in  check — 
and  should  be — justice  administered,  education 
promoted,  and  the  Christian  religion  established 
as  the  basis  of  society.  Only  the  beginnings 
have  been  made;  the  real  work  yet  remains  to 
be  done.  Liberia  and  Africa  must  be  guided 
by  Christ,  not  by  greed. 

Heathenism  is  the  cancer  eating  at  the  vitals 
of  the  continent.  The  Christian  Church,  acting 
as  the  representative  of  Christ  on  earth,  is  the 
physician. 

And  what  is  the  cure?  Simple  enough — just 
what  our  own  Foreign  Mission  Board,  together 
with  other  denominational  boards  is  trying  to 
do — what  it  cannot  do  any  faster  or  any  better, 
because  Christian  pastors  take  little  or  no  in¬ 
terest  in  missionary  work,  and  Christian  people 
give  so  grudgingly  of  their  money  for  heathen 
uplift.  The  cure  is  the  establishing  of  enter¬ 
prises — call  them  missions,  or  industrial  schools, 
or  anything  you  please — that  have  for  their  ob¬ 
ject  the  civilizing  and  Christianizing  of  the  na¬ 
tive  tribes,  and  have  for  their  basis  the  primitive 
industries  of  the  people  as  a  starting  point. 

This  industrial  or  agricultural  mission  (there 
is  no  better  word)  should  begin  with  “a  small 


PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH  39 


group  of  native  buildings — workships,  school 
houses,  chapel,  dormitories  and  farm.  These 
would  constitute  the  nucleus  of  a  native  civil¬ 
ization  which  would  aim  to  touch  and  improve 
every  phase  of  native  life,  material  and  spirit¬ 
ual.  The  native  huts  would  be  made  more  per¬ 
manent  and  sanitary;  the  farms  more  pro¬ 
ductive  and  varied  in  crops;  the  methods  of 
administering  to  the  sick  more  humane  and 
scientific;  the  knowledge  of  agricultural  and 
mechanical  implements  improved;  simple  in¬ 
struction  in  letters  imparted;  moral  percepts 
and  sentiments  inculcated,  and  the  teachings 
of  Jesus  Christ  as  revealed  in  the  Divine  Book 
instilled  in  mind  and  hearts.'7 

Such  enterprises  among  some  of  the  tribes 
of  Liberia,  and  in  other  parts  of  Africa,  are 
materially  benefiting  the  natives,  who  are  read¬ 
ily  adapting  themselves  to  the  new  conditions. 
Instead  of  wars  and  poverty  and  darkness  there 
is  peace,  progress  and  prosperity.  It  is  only 
through  such  means — the  planting  of  religious 
and  industrial  missions — that  Liberia  will  be 
reclaimed  from  the  barbarity  and  superstition 
that  have  enveloped  it  for  ages. 

The  opportunity  is  now  ripe  for  just  such 
work.  Young  men  from  the  interior,  who  have 
visited  the  coast,  return  with  new  conceptions 
of  life.  They  are  becoming  restless  and  dis¬ 
satisfied  with  the  old  order  of  things.  They 
want  something  better,  though  they  may  not 
know  just  what.  Fetichism  is  not  meeting  their 
needs  as  it  has  their  fathers7,  and  confidence 
in  it  is  gradually  waning.  The  time  is  ripe 
for  the  introduction  of  the  principles  of  the 
Christian  religion  with  their  corresponding 
practical  results. 

Moreover,  the  native  is  a  splendid  subject  for 
evangelism.  His  simple,  child-like  faith,  his 
docility,  his  sympathetic  heart,  like  the  fertile 
soil  of  his  native  heath,  make  virgin  ground 
for  Gospel  seed.  He  is  intensely  religious,  and 
his  religion  is  as  much  a  part  of  himself  as  his 
arm  or  leg. 


40  PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH 


Right  here  a  word  may  be  said  of  the  great 
contribution  made  by  this  pioneer  of  Baptist 
Missions,  Lott  Carey,  to  the  development  of  the 
little  colony  that  grew  into  the  Liberia  of  today. 
Though  born  a  slave,  he  purchased  his  own 
freedom  at  a  cost  of  $850,  and  endowed  with 
a  fear  of  God,  a  love  of  liberty  and  an  un¬ 
conquerable  faith  in  his  race,  he  possessed  a 
fixed  purpose  for  God  and  the  land  of  his 
fathers. 

As  was  said  above,  missionary  operations  fol¬ 
lowed  closely  upon  the  settlement  of  the  colon¬ 
ists.  Deacon  William  Crane,  who  was  teaching 
a  tri-weekly  night  school  for  the  benefit  of  the 
many  colored  Baptists  who  were  members  of 
the  First  Church  in  Richmond,  assisted  in  the 
organization  of  the  Richmond  Missionary  So¬ 
ciety  in  1815.  This  Society  was  organized  with 
the  view  solely  to  missions  in  Africa,  but  was 
auxiliary  to  the  Triennial  Convention  which 
represented  the  united  effort  for  Foreign  Mis¬ 
sions  of  all  the  Baptists  in  America,  both  North 
and  South. 

Carey  and  Teague,  both  colored,  were  sent  out 
by  this  society  as  missionaries  to  Liberia  in 

1821,  sailing  January  23.  As  modest  as  this 
beginning  may  have  seemed  at  that  time,  it  was 
the  beginning  of  the  American  Baptist  Mis¬ 
sions  in  the  great  Continent.  After  looking 
about  for  a  suitable  place  to  begin  work,  Carey, 
Teague  and  colonists  arrived  in  Monrovia  in 

1822,  and  early  in  the  year  1823  a  church 
known  as  the  Providence  Baptist  was  organized. 
Carey,  who  was  a  man  of  unusual  intelligence 
and  energy,  became  its  pastor. 

Having  shown  much  interest  in  the  develop¬ 
ment  of  the  colony  which  was  governed  by  ap¬ 
pointees  by  the  Colonization  Society  in  Amer¬ 
ica,  Carey  in  1825  was  appointed  vice-agent, 
and  soon  afterwards  vice-governor,  and  in  1828, 
when  Governor  Aslimun  came  to  America  to 
die,  the  whole  burden  of  administration  fell 
upon  the  shoulders  of  the  great  man.  On  his 
death  bed  Mr.  Ashmun  urged  that  Carey  be 


Liberians  celebrating  July  26th,  their  National  Birthday. 


PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH  41 


permanently  appointed  to  conduct  the  affairs 
of  this  colony,  expressing  perfect  confidence  in 
his  integrity  and  in  his  ability  to  discharge  the 
duties  of  this  office. 

Very  naturally  the  faithful  discharge  of  all 
these  various  duties  left  little  time  to  detail 
missionary  work.  He  did  not  neglect  any  of  the 
civil  interest  in  this  little  colony.  Here  we  are 
reminded  of  Mr.  Ashmun’s  own  words:  “He 
gave  ample  proof  that  he  cherished  the  most 
ardent  devotion  to  the  colony  and  would  sooner 
sacrifice  life  itself  than  to  jeopardize  its  inter¬ 
ests.  Truly.  And  if  Air.  Ashmun  could  have 
lived  a  fewT  years  longer  he  would  have  seen  his 
prophesy  realized.  For  indeed  it  was  while 
preparing  to  assert  its  right  and  defend  its 
property  that  Governor  Carey’s  mortal  «areer 
was  accidentally  ended.  A  factory  at  Digby,  a 
few  miles  north  of  Monrovia,  had  been  robbed 
bv  the  natives  and  satisfaction  demanded  and 
refused.  A  slave  trader  had  been  allowed  to 
store  his  goods  in  the  very  building  made  va¬ 
cant  by  this  robbery.  A  letter  of  remonstrance 
which  had  been  sent  to  the  slave  dealer  was 
intercepted  and  destroyed  by  the  natives.  In 
this  state  of  affairs  Governor  Carey  considered 
himself  bound  to  call  out  the  militia. 

One  evening  while  engaged  with  others  mak¬ 
ing  cartridges,  the  accidental  overturning  of 
a  candle  communicated  fire  to  some  loose  pow¬ 
der  and  then  almost  instantly  to  the  entire 
magazine.  The  explosion  resulted  in  the  death 
of  eight  of  the  company.  Six  of  these  sur¬ 
vived  until  the  next  day.  Governor  Carey 
lingered  until  the  following  day,  the  10th  of 
November,  1828.  Thus  ended  the  life  of  this 
Baptist  hero  and  martyr.  “Greater  love  hath 
no  man  than  this  that  he  lav  down  his  life  for 

K)  • 

his  friend.’’ 

Thirty-three  years  ago,  on  December  3,  1883, 
six  young  Baptists,  well  equipped,  with  faith 
in  God  and  confidence  in  Negro  Baptists,  set 
sail  for  Liberia  on  the  barque  Alonrovia.  After 
more  than  forty  days,  storm-tossed  and  sick, 


42  PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH 


they  reached  their  field.  They  were  the  pioneers 
of  Negro  Baptist  Foreign  Mission  work.  To¬ 
day  Baptists  have  a  splendid  Mission  Station, 
located  on  a  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  acre 
tract,  with  two  country  kitchens,  a  laundry  of 
corrugated  iron,  a  fine  play  , shed,  a  building  for 
boys,  a  dining  hall,  with  a  central  building 
mostly  of  corrugated  iron,  consisting  of  seven 
rooms,  and  over  part  of  it  a  second  story  form¬ 
ing  a  girls’  dormitory.  This  mission,  though 
only  three  years  old  is  regarded  as  one  of  the 
busiest  places  in  the  country,  is  worth  at  least 
$6,000  and  is  on  the  outer  rim  of  any  civilized 
community. 

%j 

They  have  another  mission  near  Grand  lias- 
sa,  a  Bible  and  Industrial  Academy,  with  a 
building  worth  a  little  more  than  $3,000  on  a 
300-acre  tract  of  land.  Altogether  the  Liberian 
Baptists  have  now  more!  than  fifty  churches,  a 
number  of  which  are  in  good  houses,  and  with 
quite  three  thousand  communicants.  For  many 
years,  very  unfortunately,  white  Baptists,  both 
North  and  South  and  English  have  withdrawn 
all  help  from  Liberia.  All  outside  Baptist 
Mission  work  now  being  done  in  the  Republic 
is  by  the  National  Baptist  Convention  and  its 
district  body,  the  Lott-Carey  Convention.  The 
work  of  the  District  body  is  centered  about 
Brewerville,  one  of  the  best  settlements  in  all 
Liberia,  The  African  Methodist  Episcopal 
(A.  M.  E.)  and  the  African  Methodist  Episco¬ 
pal  Zion  (A.  M.  E.  Z.)  also  have  work  in  Li¬ 
beria.  The  Methodist  Episcopal  (M.  E.)  Church 
keeps  a  resident  Bishop  in  Liberia  and  the  A. 
M.  E.  have  a  bishop  make  annual  visits  to  the 
Republic.  The  Caroline  Donivan  Industrial  In¬ 
stitute— a  sort  of  Tuskegee  in  Bassa  County — 
organized  as  a  Government  school,  is  going 
forward  on  a  large  scale  and  promises  to  revo¬ 
lutionize  farming  in  the  whole  country.  But 
what  a  field  is  still  left  unharvested.  Say  ye 
not,  there  are  yet  four  months,  then  cometh 
the  harvest.  Lift  up  your  eyes,  the  fields  are 
white  unto  the  harvest ;  Liberia  has  a  population 


PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH  43 


of  2,040,000  people ;  40,000  are  the  descendants 
of  American  Negroes,  while  the  2,000,000  are 
aborigines.  But  the  Lord  of  the  harvest  wants 
reapers.  O,  Negroes  of  America,  why  stand  ye 
here  all  the  day  idle?  Thrust  in  the  sickle  for 
the  harvest  is  ripe. 

The  Americo-Liberians  need  our  Christian 
co-operation  to  help  win  the  pagan  millions 
about  them  to  our  Christ.  They  need  our  su¬ 
perior  knowledge  of  the  arts  and  sciences,  of 
books  and  industries,  to  help  them  do  for  their 
native  land  what  has  made  once  primitive 
America  the  richest  country  on  earth — to  fell 
the  forests,  and  upturn  the  soil,  and  harness 
the  cataracts,  and  blast  out  the  minerals,  and 
turn  the  very  earth  into  bread.  They  need  our 
skill  and  experience  to  help  beat  back  and  beat 
down  the  fever  and  make  the  climate  as  healthy 
as  nature  intended  it  to  be ;  to  help  build  roads, 
and  open  highways,  and  throw  bridges  across 
the  creeks  and  rivers.  The  field  of  opportunity 
is  ripe  unto  the  harvest  and  awaits  but  our 
Christian  and  brotherly  interest  and  co-opera¬ 
tion. 

Another  effort  was  made  in  1832,  when  the 
Methodist  Church  sent  out  her  first  missionary, 
Melville  B.  Cox.  Some  years  before  Daniel 
Coker,  a  Methodist  preacher,  one  of  the  eighty- 
eight  emigrants  on  the  ship  Elizabeth — the 
Mayflower  of  Liberia — organized  the  company 
on  shipboard  into  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  On  Cox’s  arrival  he  found  the  church 
Coker  had  planted  and  fostered.  This  proved 
the  tiny  seed  from  which  has  grown  the  stal¬ 
wart  tree  of  Liberian  Methodism. 

Another  initial  undertaking  was  by  the  Epis¬ 
copalians  in  1835  in  behalf  of  the  colonists 
from  America.  Bishop  Ferguson,  a  colored 
man,  who  was  consecrated  in  1885.  and  who  has 
recently  died,  broadened  the  work  so  that  it 
exerted  a  vital  influence  upon  the  interior.  The 
bishop  left  behind  a  remarkable  record  for 
fidelity  and  industry.  His  specialty  was  raising 
up  an  African  clergy,  but  he  also  conducted 


44  PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH 

I 

forty-five  excellent  schools  scattered  along  the 
coast. 

The  Muhlenberg  Mission  of  the  Lutheran 
General  Synod  began  work  in  Liberia  in  1860, 
though  it  was  originally  in  behalf  of  natives 
from  the  Congo  region  who  were  taken  from 
a  slave  ship.  The  Lev.  Morris  Officer  gathered 
forty  of  the  children  into  a  school  which  con¬ 
tinues  to  this  day  and  is  doing  excellent  work. 
There  is  a  girls'  boarding  school  at  the  coast 
and  eight  schools  are  conducted  in  the  interior. 
The  Lev.  David  A.  Day  was  connected  with  this 
work  for  twenty-five  years,  until  his  death,  and 
at  one  time  he  was  chief  of  one  of  the  tribes. 

But  missionary  work  in  Liberia  has  its  diffi¬ 
culties.  The  English  language  is  generally  em¬ 
ployed  in  evangelistic  and  educational  work 
among  the  people,  but  owing  to  the  poverty  of 
the  native  dialects,  the  interpreters  find  it  hard 
to  convey  to  the  primitive  mind  the  underlying 
truths  of  our  religion.  Thus  a  missionary 
preaching  from  the  text:  “I  will  come  on  thee 
as  a  thief  in  the  night,”  was  very  much  embar¬ 
rassed  when  the  interpreter  told  his  hearers 
that  Jesus  was  a  thief  and  would  come  as  such. 
This,  of  course,  was*  not  welcome  news  to  the 
audience,  and  the  disorder  and  uproar  that  fol¬ 
lowed  would  have  broken  up  the  meeting  but 
for  a  timely  correction  that  put  the  text  in  its 
true  light. 

Then  again,  the  peculiar  problem  and  diffi¬ 
culty  is  to  rebuild  the  native  from  the  ground 
up.  In  lands  like  Persia,  India,  China  and 
Japan,  the  missionaries  deal  with  a  culture  and 
literature  older  than  our  own.  But  in  Liberia 
there  is  neither  literature  nor  culture.  There 
they  must  reduce  the  language  to  written  forms ; 
they  must  teach  the  arts  and  trades;  they  must 
establish  social  customs  and  institutions ;  they 
must  formulate  a  moral  code,  and  they  must 
do  all  this  in  ways  adapted  to  the  African  na¬ 
ture.  The  problem  is  the  creation  of  a  Chris¬ 
tian  African  civilization — in  Liberia  the  Bible 
and  the  plow  must  go  together.  There  is  par- 


PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH  45 

* 

excellence  the  field  for  industrial  education, 
and  in  every  important  mission  the  teaching  of 
agriculture  and  the  trades  occupies  a  basic  posi¬ 
tion  in  the  educational  scheme. 

All  this  is  in  marked  contrast  to  the  earlier 
methods,  which  accounts  for  much  of  the  early 
failure.  The  missionary  of  yesterday  ignored 
the  point.  He  failed  to  build  on  the  life  of  the 
natives.  Without  taking  the  time  to  learn  what 
native  institutions  and  purposes  were,  he  pro¬ 
ceeded  to  destroy  and  not  to  heed  that  which 
was  deepest  and  most  vital  in  native  life  and 
thought.  But  now  the  missionary  begins  with 
those  things  that  concern  the 'native  most — his 
huts,  farms,  children,  wives,  cattle,  his  work 
and  material  things,  and  from  these  he  advances 
step  by  step  to  a  higher  conception  of  thought 
and  life. 

And  with  the  discovery  and  tested  merits  of 
the  new  methods  of  evangelism,  we  find  our 
efforts  paralyzed  by  the  pitiful  lack  of  money. 
So  few  dollars  needed  and  so  many  millions  of 
Negroes  who  won’t  give  them !  A  sister  nation 
crying  for  the  Gospel  and  a  vast  army  of  pro¬ 
fessed  disciples  deaf  to  thei^  master’s  command : 
“Preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature!”  Ten 
million  Negroes  in  America  bemoaning  the 
lack  of  liberty  and  opportunity  here,  yet  doing 
nothing  to  maintain  the  unbounded  liberty 
and  golden  opportunity  secured  by  their  broth¬ 
ers  across  the  sea. 


46  PEEBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH 


QUESTIONS  ON  CHAPTER  V 

„  I  _  >  *  1  «•  V 

1.  What  is  tiie  religious  belief  of  the  na¬ 
tives  of  Liberia? 

2.  What  is  the  nature  of  the  devil  wor¬ 
ships  V 

3.  Does  the  native  welcome  the  Christian 

religion  (  •  ■ '  "  >  •  -  i 

4.  To  what  extent  is  polygamy  practiced? 

5.  What  .is  the  reason  for  the  prevalence 
of  heathenism? 

6.  What  is  the  European  attitude  towards 
missions  ? 

7.  Iiow  has  the  Church  measured  up  to 
its  opportunity? 

8.  What  is  the  remedy  for  heathenism? 

9.  Along  what  line  should  Missions  work? 

10.  To  what  extent  have  Industrial  Mis¬ 
sions  proven  a  success? 

11.  Is  the  native  open  to  evangelism? 

12.  In  what  years,  and  by  whom,  were  the 
first  missionary  efforts  made? 

13.  When  did  our  Baptist  missionary  work 
begin  ? 

14.  What  are  its  present  results? 

15.  What  are  some  of  the  difficulties  of 
missionary  work  in  Liberia? 

16.  How  are  Negro  Baptists  in  America 
responding  to  the  needs  of  Liberia? 


PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH  47 

if  AFTERWORD 

And  what  of  the  future?  A  new  era  is  about 
to  dawn  for  Liberia.  It  means  better  things 
•  for  the  Republic;  the  dense  darkness  dispelled; 
the  interior  opened  up  to  the  Gospel  of  Christ. 
The  land  is  to  be  free  from  every  curse  and 
shame  and  its  two  million  native  inhabitants, 
lifted  out  of  degradation  into  life  and  purity. 
In  the  path  of  Christian  missions  will  follow 
exploration,  commerce,  trade  and  political  in¬ 
fluence,  and  branching  out  from  tW 
strategic  centers  on  the  coast,  will  push  their 
way  through  the  dark  forests  into  the  regions 
beyond.  They  will  transform  the  country,  until 
barbarism  give  way  to  peaceful  industries,  pa¬ 
ganism  bows  to  civilization,  and  rude  huts  are 
replaced  with  bustling  towns  and  thriving 
cities.  Soon  there  will  be  a  great  host  of 
Africa's  own  sons  and  daughters  enlisted  under 
the  banner  of  Immanuel  and  winning  signal 
victories  in  His  name. 

All  this  will  be  brought  about  by  the  era 
of  peace  following  the  great  war — being  fought 
in  Africa  and  throughout  the  world.  Whether 
there  is  to  be  a  new  map  of  Africa  or  not,  the 
little  Republic  will  emerge  undaunted,  and 
there  is  bound  to  be  a  speeding  up  of  colonial 
enterprises  throughout  the  continent  that  will 
react  upon  Liberia.  Railroad  companies,  com¬ 
mercial  corporations  and  governments  will  be 
engrossed  in  new  activities.  Every  resource  of 
the  continent  will'  be  exploited.  There  will  be 
a  corresponding  acceleration  of  Christian  en¬ 
terprises.  Plans  continental  in  their  scope  'will 
be  set  on  foot.  Leaders  of  heroic  mold  will 
take  the  front  rank's.  Prayer,  volunteers,  money, 
co-operation  will  be  poured  out  by  the  home 
churches.  The  liquor  traffic  will  be  brought 
to  an  end  by  international  governmental  action. 
The  Powers  will  learn,  and  act  accordingly, 
that  Christianity  is  essential  to  civilization; 
and  instead  of  the  paltry  one  hundred  Amer- 


48  PEBBLES  PROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH 


ican  missionaries,  black  and  white,  scattered 
over  the  country  today,  there  will  be — and 
should  be —  one  thousand  men  and  women — 
Christian  men  and  women  with  a  vision — who 
know  the  science  of  mineralogy  and  the  art- 
of  agriculture;  who  know  the  good  of  a  Bible, 
a  plow  and  a  hoe.  The  Golden  Era  for  Liberia 
is  about  to  dawn. 

Who  knows — to  repeat  the  question  asked 
in  the  Foreword— who  knows  but  that,  through 
Liberia,  the  Negro  is  to  come  into  his  own?  To 
become  civilized  and  progressive  requires  in¬ 
centive  and  opportunity.  The  American  Negro 
had  the  incentive  and  has  made  the  opportu¬ 
nity  which  was  denied  him,  and  who  can  say 
that  he  has  not  the  innate  power,  under  favor¬ 
able  conditions,  to  rise  to  the  highest  level  of 
civilization.  The  Liberian  Negro  has  the  op¬ 
portunity;  he  needs  but  more  incentive,  when 
he,  too,  will  rise  to  heights  of  culture  and  pros¬ 
perity  as  yet  undreamed  of. 

The  point  should  be  clear :  Let  the  Negro  of 
America  give  of  his  intelligence,  his  money, 
his  influence — best  of  all,  give  himself  to  the 
development  of  the  Negroes  of  Liberia. 

And  so,  if  the  black  man’s  achievements  in 
the  remote  past  count  for  anything,  and  his 
recent  progress  indicates  anything:,  it  may  be 
safely  said  that  his  future  is  boundless  in  its 
possibilities.  We  see  tomorrow  in  today,  be¬ 
cause  we  have  read  the  record  of  vesterdav. 

*>  v! 


The  Rice  Mills  of  Liberia. 


The  Sisters  waiting  Tor  the  teacher 


PEEBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH  49 


CONSTITUTION 

of  the 

REPUBLIC  OF  LIBERIA 


PREAMBLE 

The  aim  of  the  institution,  maintenance  and 
administration  of  government,  is  to  secure  the 
existence  of  the  body  politic,  to  protect  it,  and 
to  furnish  the  individuals  who  compose  it  with 
the  power  of  enjoying  in  safety  and  tranquility 
their  natural  rights  and  the  blessings  of  life ; 
and  whenever  these  great  objects  are  not  ob¬ 
tained  the  people  have  a  right  to  alter  the  gov¬ 
ernment  and  to  take  measures  necessary  for 
their  safety,  prosperity  and  happiness. 

Therefore,  we  the  People  of  the  Common¬ 
wealth  of  Liberia,  in  Africa,  acknowledge  with 
devout  gratitude,  the  goodness  of  God.  in  grant¬ 
ing  to  us  tire  blessings  of  the  Christian  Religion, 
and  political,  religious  and  civil  liberty,  do,  in 
order  to  secure  these  blessings  for  ourselves  and 
our  posterity,  and  to  establish  justice,  insure  do¬ 
mestic  peace,  and  promote  the  general  welfare, 
hereby  solemnly  associate  and  constitute  our¬ 
selves  a  Free,  Sovereign  and  Independent  State 
bv  the  name  of  the  REPUBLIC  OF  LIBERIA, 
and  do  ordain  and  establish  this  Constitution 
for  the  government  of  the  same. 

ARTICLE  I 
Bill  of  Rights 

Section  1.  All  men  are  born  equally  free 
and  independent,  and  have  certain  natural, 
inherent  and  inalienable  rights:  among  which 
are  the  rights  of  enjoying  and  defending  life  and 
liberty,  of  acquiring,  possessing  and  protecting 
property,  and  of  pursuing  and  obtaining  safety 
and  happiness. 


50  PEEBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH 


Section  2.  All  power  is  inherent  in  the  peo¬ 
ple;  all  free  governments  are  instituted  by  their 
authority,  and  for  their  benefit,  and  they  have 
the  right  to  alter  and  reform  the  same  when 
their  safety  and  happiness  require  it. 

Section  3.  All  men  have  a  natural  and  in¬ 
alienable  right  to  worship  God  according  to  the 
dictates  of  their  own  consciences,  without  ob¬ 
struction  or  molestation  from  others:  all  per¬ 
sons  demeaning  themselves  peaceably,  and  not 
obstructing  others  in  their  religious  worship, 
are  entitled  to  the  protection  of  law,  in  the  fr.ee 
exercise  of  their  own  religion,  and  no  sect  of 
Christians  shall  have  exclusive  privileges  or 
preference  over  any  other  sect ;  but  all  shall  be 
alike  tolerated;  and  no  religious  test  whatever 
shall  be  required  as  a  qualification  for  civil 
office,  or  the  exercise  of  any  civil  right. 

Section  4.  There  shall  be  no  slavery  within 
this  Republic.  Nor  shall  any  citizen  of  this 
Republic,  or  any  person  resident  therein,  deal 
in  slaves,  either  within  or  without  this  Republic, 
directly  or  indirtcely. 

Section  5.  The  people  have  a  right  at  all 
times,  in  an  orderly  and  peaceable  manner,  to 
assemble  and  consult  upon  the  common  good, 
to  instruct  their  representatives,  and  to  petition 
the  government,  or  any  public  functionaries 
for  the  redress  of  grievances. 

Section  6.  Every  person  injured  shall  have 
remedy  therefor  by  due  course  of  law;  justice 
shall  be  done  without  sole  denial  or  delay;  and 
in  all  cases,  not  arising  under  martial  law  or 
upon  inpeachment,  the  parties  shall  have  a 
right  to  a  trial  by  jury,  and  to  be  heard  in  per¬ 
son  or  by  counsel,  or  both. 

Section  7.  No  persons  shall  be  held  to  answer 
for  a  capital  or  infamous  crime,  except  in  case3 
of  impeachment,  cases  arising  in  the  army  or 
navy,  and  petty  offences,  unless  upon  present¬ 
ment  by  a  grand  jury ;  and  every  person  crimin¬ 
ally  charged  shall  have  a  right  to  be  seasonably 
furnished  with  a  copy  of  the  charge,  to  be  con¬ 
fronted  with  the  witnesses  against  him — to  have 


PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH  51 


compulsory  process  for  obtaining  witnesses  in 
his  favor;  and  to  have  a  speedy,  public  and 
impartial  trial  by  a  jury  of  the  vicinity.  He 
shall  not  be  compelled  to  furnish  or  give  evi¬ 
dence  against  himself;  and  no  person  shall  for 
the  same  offense  be  twice  put  in  jeopardy  of  life 
or  limb. 

Section  8.  No  person  shall  be  deprived  of 
life,  liberty,  property,  or  privilege,  but  by  judg¬ 
ment  of  his  peers  or  the  law  of  the  land. 

Section  9.  No  place  shall  be  searched  nor 
person  seized  on  a  criminal  charge  or  suspicion, 
unless  upon  warrant  lawfully  issued,  upon  prob¬ 
able  cause  supported  by  oath,  or  solemn  affirma¬ 
tion,  specially  designating  the  place  or  person, 
and  the  object  of  the  search. 

Section  10.  Excessive  bail  shall  not  be  re¬ 
quired,  nor  excessive  fines  imposed,  nor  exces¬ 
sive  punishments  inflicted.  Nor  shall  the  Legis¬ 
lature  make  any  law  impairing  the  obligation 
of  contracts  nor  any  law  rendering  any  acts 
punishable  when  it  was  committed. 

Section  11.  All  elections  shall  be  by  ballot; 
and  every  male  citizen  of  twenty-one  years  of 
age,  possessing  real  estate,  shall  have  the  right 
of  suffrage: 

Section  12.  The  people  have  a  right  to  keep 
and  bear  arms  for  the  common  defence ;  and,  as 
in  time  of  peace  armies  are  dangerous  to  lib¬ 
erty,  they  ought  not  to  be  maintained  without 
the  consent  of  the  Legislature ;  and  the  military 
power  shall  always  be  held  in  exact  subordina¬ 
tion  to  the  civil  authority  and  be  governed  by  it. 

Section  13.  Private  property  shall  not  be 
taken  for  public  use  without  just  compensation. 

Section  14.  The  powers  of  this  government 
shall  be  divided  into  three  distinct  departments : 
Legislative,  Executive  and  Judicial,  and  no  per¬ 
son  belonging  to  one  of  these  departments  shall 
exercise  any  of  the  powers  belonging  to  either 
of  the  other.  This  section  is  not  to  be  con¬ 
strued  to  include  Justices  of  the  Peace. 

Section  15.  The  liberty  of  the  press  is  essen¬ 
tial  to  the  security  of  freedom  in  a  state;  if 


52  PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH 


ought  not,  therefore,  to  be  restrained  in  this 
Republic. 

The  printing  press  shall  be  free  to  every  per¬ 
son  who  undertakes  to  examine  the  proceedings 
of  the  Legislature,  or  any  branch  of  govern¬ 
ment  ;  and  no  law  shall  ever  be  made  to  restrain 
the  rights  thereof.  The  free  communication  of 
thoughts  and  opinions  is  one  of  the  invaluable 
rights  of  man,  and  every  citizen  may  freely 
speak,  write  and  print  on  any  subject,  being 
responsible  for  the  abuse  of  that  liberty. 

In  prosecutions,  for  the  publication  of  papers, 
investigating  the  official  conduct  of  officers,  or 
men  in  a  public  capacity,  or  where  the  matter 
published  is  proper  for  public  information,  the 
truth  thereof  may  be  given  in  evidence.  And 
■  in  all  indictments  for  libels  the  jury  shall  have 
the  right  to  determine  the  law  and  the  facts, 
under  the  direction  of  the  courts,  as  in  other 
cases. 

Section  16.  No  subsidy,  charge,  impost  or 
duties  ought  to  be  established,  fixed,  laid,  or 
levied,  under  any  prextet  whatsoever,  without 
the  consent  of  the  people,  or  their  representa¬ 
tives  in  the  Legislature. 

Section  17.  Suits  may  be  brought  against 
the  Republic  in  such  manner  and  in  such  cases 
as  the  Legislature  may  by  law  direct. 

Section  18.  No  person  can,  in  any  case, 
be  subject  to  the  law  martial,  or  to  any  penalties 
or  pains  by  virtue  of  that  law  (except  those 
employed  in  the  army  or  navy,  and  except  the 
militia  in  actual  service)  but  by  the  authority 
of  the  Legislature. 

Section  19.  In  order  to  prevent  those  who 
are  vested  with  authority  from  becoming  op¬ 
pressors,  the  people  have  a  right  at  such  periods, 
and  in  such  manner,  as  they  shall  establish 
by  their  frame  of  government,  to  cause  their 
public  officers  to  return  to  private  life  and  to 
fill  up  vacant  places  by  certain  and  regular 
elections  and  appointments. 


PEEBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH  53 


Section  20.  That  all  prisoners  shall  be  bail¬ 
able  by  sufficient  sureties;  unless  for  capital 
offences,  when  the  proof  is  evident,  or  presump¬ 
tion  great:  and  the  privilege  and  benefit  of  the 
writ  of  habeas  corpus  shall  be  enjoyed  in  this 
Republic,  in  the  most  free,  easy,  cheap,  expe¬ 
ditious  and  ample  manner,  and  shall  not  be  sus¬ 
pended  by  the  Legislature,  except  upon  the  most 
urgent  and  pressing  occasions,  and  for  a  limited 
time,  not  exceeding  twelve  months. 

ARTICLE  II 

Legislative  Powers 

Section  1.  That  the  legislative  power  shall 
be  vested  in  a  Legislature  of  Liberia,  and  shall 
consist  of  two  separate  branches — a  House  of 
Representatives  and  a  Senate,  to  be  styled  the 
Legislature  of  Liberia :  each  of  which  shall 
have  a  negative  on  the  other,  and  the  enacting 
style  of  the  acts  and  laws  shall  be,  “It  is  enacted 
by  the  Senate  and  ‘louse  of  Representatives 
of  the  Republic  of  Liberia  in  Legislature 
assembled.” 

Section  2.  The  Representative  shall  be  elect¬ 
ed  by  and  for  the  inhabitants  of  the  several 
counties  of  Liberia,  and  shall  be  apportioned 
among  the  several  counties  of  Liberia  as  fol¬ 
lows:  The  county  of  Montserrado  shall  have 
four  representatives,  the  county  of  Grand  Bassa 
shall  have  three,  and  the  county  of  Sinoe  shall 
have  three;  and  all  counties  hereafter  which 
shall  be  admitted  into  the  Republic  shall  have 
one  representative,  and  for  every  ten  thousand 
inhabitants  one  representative  shall  be  added. 
No  person  shall  be  a  representative  who  has  not 
resided  in  the  county  two  whole  years  imme¬ 
diately  previous  to  his  election  and  who  shall 
not,  when  elected,  be  an  inhabitant  of  the 
county,  and  does  not  own  real  estate  of  not  less 
value  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  in#the 
county  in  which  he  resides,  and  who  shall  not 
have  attained  the  age  of  twenty-three  years. 
The  representatives  shall  be  elected  quadren- 


54  PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH 


nially,  and  shall  serve  four  years  from  the  time 
of  their  election. 

Section  3.  When  a  vacancy  occurs  in  th« 
representation  of  any  county  by  death,  resig¬ 
nation,  or  otherwise,  it  shall  be  filled  by  a  new 
election. 

Section  4.  The  House  of  Representatives 
shall  elect  their  own  Speaker  and  other  officers ; 
they  also  shall  have  the  sole  power  of  impeach¬ 
ment. 

Section  5.  The  Senate  shall  consist  of  two 
members  from  Montserrado  county,  two  from 
Grand  Bassa  county,  two  from  Sinoe  county, 
and  twro  from  each  county  which  may  be  here¬ 
after  incorported  into  this  Republic.  No  per¬ 
son  shall  be  a  Senator  who  shall  not  have  re¬ 
sided  three  whole  years  immediately  previous 
to  his  election  in  the  Republic  of  Liberia,  and 
wrho  shall  not,  wffien  elected,  be  an  inhabitant  of 
the  county  which  he  represents,  and  who  does 
not  own  real  estate  of  not  less  value  than  two 
hundred  dollars  in  the  county  which  he  repre¬ 
sents,  and  who  shall  not  have  attained  the  age 
of  twenty-five  years.  The  Senator  for  each 
county  wTho  shall  have  the  highest  number  of 
votes  shall  retain  his  seat  six  years,  and  shall 
be  elected  quadrennially,  and  those  elected  May, 
A.  D.  1905,  shall  retain  their  seat  for  six  years 
from  the  time  of  their  election,  and  all  who 
afterwards  are  elected  six  years. 

When  a  vacancy  occurs  in  the  office  of  Vice- 
President  by  death,  resignation  or  otherwise, 
after  the  regular  election  of  the  President  and 
Vice-President,  the  President  shall  immediately 
order  a  special  election  to  fill  said  vacancy. 

Section  6.  The  Senate  shall  try  all  inpeach- 
ments ;  the  Senators  being  first  sworn  or  solemn¬ 
ly  affirmed  to  try  the  same  impartially  and  ac¬ 
cording  to  law ;  and  no  person  shall  be  convicted 
but  *by  the  concurrence  of  two-thirds  of  the 
Senators  present.  Judgment,  in  such  cases, 
shall  not  extend  beyond  removal  from  office 
and  disqualification  to  hold  an  office  in  the  Re- 


PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH  55 


public;  but  the  party  may  be  tried  at  law  for 
the  same  offence.  When  either  the  President 
or  Vice-President  is  to  be  tried,  the  Chief  Justice 
shall  preside. 

Section  7.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Legis¬ 
lature  as  soon  as  conveniently  may  be,  after  the 
adoption  of  this  Constitution,  and  once  at  least 
in  every  ten  years  afterwards,  to  cause  a  true 
census  to  be  taken  of  each  town  and  county  of 
the  Republic  of  Liberia;  and  a  representative 
shall  be  allowed  every  town  having  a  popula¬ 
tion  of  ten  thousand  inhabitants ;  and  for  every 
additional  ten  thousand  in  the  counties  after 
the  first  census  one  representative  shall  be  added 
to  that  county,  until  the  number  of  representa¬ 
tives  shall  amount  to  thirty ;  and  afterwards  one 
representative  shall  be  added  for  every  thirty 
thousand. 

Section  8.  Each  branch  of  the  Legislature  , 
shall  be  judge  of  the  election  returns  and  quali¬ 
fication  of  its  own  members.  A  majority  of 
each  shall  be  necessary  to  transact  business,  but 
a  less  number  may  adjourn  from  day  to  day  and 
compel  the  attendance  of  absent  members.  Each 
House  may  adopt  its  own  rules  of  proceedings, 
enforce  order,  and,  with  the  concurrence  of 
two-thirds,  may  expel  a  member. 

Section  9.  Neither  House  shall  adjourn  for 
more  than  two  days  without  the  consent  of  the 
other;  and  both  Houses  shall  always  sit  in  the 
same  town. 

Section  10.  Every  bill  or  resolution  which 
shall  have  passed  both  branches  of  the  Legis¬ 
lature  shall,  before  it  becomes  a  law,  be  laid 
before  the  President  for  his  approval ;  if  he  ap¬ 
proves,  he  shall  sign  it;  if  not,  he  shall  return 
it  to  the  Legislature  wfith  his  objections.  If 
the  Legislature  shall  afterwards  pass  the  bill  or 
resolution  by  a  vote  of  two-thirds  in  each  branch 
it  shall  become  a  law.  If  the  President  shall 
neglect  to  return  such  bill  or  resolution  to  the 
Legislature  with  his  objections  for  five  days 
after  the  same  shall  have  been  so  laid  before 


56  PEBDLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  REACH 


him,  the  Legislature  remaining  in  session  dur¬ 
ing  that  time,  such  neglect  shall  be  equivalent 
to  his  signature. 

Section  11.  The  Senators  and  Representa¬ 
tives  shall  receive  from  the  Republic  a  compen¬ 
sation  for  their  services  to  be  ascertained  by  law ; 
and  shall  be  privileged  from  arrest,  except  for 
treason,  felony,  or  breach  of  the  peace,  while 
attending  at,  going  to,  or  returning  from,  the 
session  of  the  Legislature. 

ARTICLE  III 
Executive  Power 

Section  1.  The  Supreme  Executive  Power 
shall  be  vested  in  a  President,  who  shall  be 

elected  by  the  people,  and  shall  hold  his  office 
for  the  term  of  four  years.  He  shall  be  Com-' 
mander-in-Chief  of  the  army  and  navy.  He 
shall  in  the  recess  of  the  Legislature  have  power 
to  call  out  the  militia,  or  any  portion  thereof, 
into  actual  service  in  defence  of  the  Republic. 
He  shall  have  power  to  make  treaties,  pro¬ 
vided  the  Senate  concur  therein  by  a  vote  of 
two-thirds  of  the  Senators  present.  He  shall 
nominate  and,  with  the  advice  and  consent  of 
the  Senate,  appoint  and  commission  all  Ambas¬ 
sadors  and  other  public  Ministers  and  Consuls, 
Secretaries  of  State,  War,  of  the  Navy,  and  the 
Treasury,  Attorney  General,  all  Judges  of 
Courts,  Sheriffs,  Coroners,  Registers,  Marshal, 
Justices  of  the  Peace,  Clerk  of  Courts,  Notaries 
Public,  and  all  other  officers  of  State,  Civil  and 
Military,  whose  appointment  may  not  be  other¬ 
wise  provided  for  by  the  Constitution,  or  by 
standing  lawrs.  And  in  the  recess  of  the  Sen¬ 
ate  he  may  fill  any  vacancies  in  those  offices, 
until  the  next  session  of  the  Senate.  He  shall 
receive  all  Ambassadors  and  other  Public  Min¬ 
isters.  He  shall  take  care  that  the  laws  are 
faithfully  executed:  he  shall  inform  the  Legis¬ 
lature,  from  time  to  time,  of  the  condition  of 
the  Republic,  and  recommend  any  public  meas- 


Pessy  Girls  on  their  way  upward. 


Listening  to  the  “God  plaver” 


PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  REACH  57 


ures  for  their  adoption  which  he  may  think 
expedient.  He  may,  after  conviction,  remit 
any  public  forfeitures  and  penalties,  and  grant 
reprieves  and  pardons  for  public  offences,  except 
in  cases  of  impeachment.  He  may  require  in¬ 
formation  and  advice  from  any  public  officer 
touching  matters  pertaining  to  his  office.  He 
may,  on  extraordinary  occasions,  convene  the 
Legislature,  and  may  adjourn  the  two  houses 
whenever  they  cannot  agree  as  to  the  time  of 
adjournment. 

Section  2.  There  shall  be  a  Vice-President, 
who  shall  be  elected  in  the  same  manner  and 
for  the  same  term  as  that  of  the  President,  and 
whose  qualifications  shall  be  the  same;  he  shall 
be  President  of  the  Senate,  and  give  the  casting- 
vote  when  the  House  is  equally  divided  on  any 
subject.  And  in  the  case  of  the  removal  of  the 
President  from  office,  or  his  death,  resignation, 
or  inability  to  discharge  the  powers  and  duties 
of  the  said  office,  the  same  shall  devolve  on  the 
Vice-President;  and  the  Legislature  may  by 
law  provide  for  the  cases  of  removal,  death, 
esignation,  or  inability,  both  of  the  President 
and  Vice-President,  declaring  what  officer  shall 
hen  act  as  President,  and  such  officer  shall  act 
Tfccordingly  until  the  disability  be  removed,  or 
a  President  shall  be  elected. 

Section  3.  The  Secretary  of  State  shall  keep 
the  records  of  the  State,  and  all  the  records  and 
papers  of  the  legislative  body,  and  all  other 
public  records  and  document  not  belonging  to 
any  other  department,  and  shall  lay  the  same, 
when  required,  before  the  Preadent  or  Legisla¬ 
ture.  He  shall  attend  upon  them  when  re¬ 
in:  x  ,  :;i  :  '.  or form  such  other  duties  as  may 
be  enjoined  by  law. 

Section  4.  The  Secretary  of  the  Treasury., 
or  other  persons  who  may  by  law  be  charged 
with  custody  of  public  moneys,  shall,  before 


58  PEEBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH 


he  receive  such  moneys,  give  bonds  to  the  State, 
with  sufficient  sureties,  to  the  acceptance  of  the 
Legislature,  for  the  faithful  discharge  of  his 
trust.  He  shall  exhibit  a  true  account  of  such 
moneys  when  required  by  the  President,  or 
Legislature,  and  no  moneys  shall  be  drawn 
from  the  Treasury  but  by  warrant  from  the 
President  in  consequence  of  appropriation 
made  by  law. 

Section  5.  All  Ambassadors  and  other  Pub¬ 
lic  Ministers  and  Consuls,  the  Secretary  of 
State,  of  War,  of  the  Treasury,  and  of  the  Navy, 
the  Attorney  General  and  Post  Master  General, 
shall  hold  their  office  during  the  pleasure  of 
the  President.  All  Justices  of  the  Peace,  Sher¬ 
iff's,  Coroners,  Marshals,  Clerks  of  Courts,  Regis¬ 
ters,  and  Notaries  Public,  shall  hold  their  offices 
for  the  term  of  two  years  from  the  date  of  their 
respective  commissions;  but  they  may  be  re¬ 
moved  from  office  within  that  time  by  the 
President  at  his  pleasure  and  all  other  officers 
whose  term  of  office  shall  not  be  otherwise  lim¬ 
ited  by  law  shall  hold  their  offices  during  the 
pleasure  of  the  President. 

Section  6.  Every  civil  officer  may  be  re¬ 
moved  from  office  by  impeachment  for  official 
misconduct.  Every  such  officer  may  also  be 
removed  by  the  President  upon  the  address  of 
both  branches  of  the  Legislature,  stating  their 
particular  reason  for  his  removal.  No  person 
shall  be  eligible  to  the  office  of  President  who 
has  not  been  a  citizen  of  this  Republic  for  at 
least  five  years,  and  who  shall  not  have  attained 
the  age  of  thirty-five  years,  and  who  is  not 
possessed  of  unencumbered  real  estate  to  the 
value  of  six  hundred  dollars. 

Section  7.  The  President  shall  at  stated  times 
receive  for  his  services  compensation  which 
shall  neither  be  increased  nor  diminished  dur- 


PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH  59 


ing  the  period  for  which  he  shall  have  been 
elected:  and  before  he  enters  on  the  execution 
of  his  office  he  shall  take  the  following  oath  or 
affirmation : — 

I  do  solemnly  swear  (or  affirm)  that  I  will 
faithfully  execute  the  office  of  President  of  the 
Republic  of  Liberia ,  and  will,  to  the  best  of  my 

ability ,  preserve,  protect  and  defend  the  Con¬ 
stitution,  and  enforce  the  laws  of  the  Republic 
of  Liberia. 

ARTICLE  IV 
Judicial  Department 

Section  1.  The  judicial  power  of  this  Re¬ 
public  shall  be  vested  in  one  Supieme  Court, 

and  such  subordinate  Courts  as  the  Legislature 
may  from  time  to  time  establish.  The  Judges 
of  the  Supreme  Court  and  all  other  Judges  of 
Courts,  shall  hold  their  office  during  good  be¬ 
haviour  ;  but  may  be  removed  by  the  President, 
on  the  address  of  two-thirds  of  both  Houses  for 
that  purpose,  or  by  impeachment,  and  convic¬ 
tion  thereon.  The  Judges  shall  have  salaries 
established  by  law,  which  may  be  increased, 
but  not  diminished,  during  their  continuance 
in  office.  They  shall  not  receive  other  perquisites 
or  emoluments  whatever  from  parties,  or  others, 
on  account  of  any  duty  required  of  them. 

Section  2.  The  Supreme  Court  shall  have 
original  jurisdiction  in  all  cases  affecting  Am¬ 
bassadors,  or  other  Public  Ministers  and  Con¬ 
suls,  and  those  to  which  a  country  shall  be  s 
party.  In  all  other  cases  the  Supreme  Court 

shall  have  appellate  jurisdiction,  both  as  to 
law  and  facts,  with  such  exceptions  and  under 

such  regulations  as  the  Legislature  shall  from 
time  to  time  make. 

Section  3.  TheJud  >'es  of  the  Supreme  Court 
shall  be  the  Chief  and  two  associate  Justices. 


60  PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH 


ARTICLE  V 

Miscellaneous  Provisions 

All  laws  now  in  force  in  the  Commonwealth 
of  Liberia  and  not  repugnant  to  the  Constitu¬ 
tion  shall  be  in  force  as  the  laws  of  the  Republic 
of  Liberia  until  they  shall  be  repealed  by  the 
Legislature. 

Section  2.  All  Judges,  Magistrates,  and  other 
officers  now  concerned  in  the  administration  of 
justice  in  the  Commonwealth  of  Liberia,  and 
all  other  existing  civil  and  military  officers  there¬ 
in,  shall  continue  to  hold  and  discharge  the 
duties  of  their  respective  offices  in  the  name 
and  by  the  authority  of  the  Republic  until 
others  shall  be  appointed  and  commissioned  in 
their  stead,  pursuant  to  the  Constitution. 

Section  3.  All  towns  and  municipal  corpor¬ 
ations  within  the  Republic,  constituted  under 
the  laws  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Liberia,  shall 
retain  their  existing  organizations  and  priv¬ 
ileges,  and  the  respective  officers  thereof  shall 
remain  in  office  and  act  under  the  authority  of 
this  Republic  in  the  same  manner  and  with 
like  power  as  they  now  possess  under  the  laws 
of  said  Commonwealth. 

Section  4.  The  first  election  of  President, 
Vice-President,  Senators  and  Representatives 
shall  be  held  on  the  first  Tuesday  in  October, 
in  the  Year  of  Our  Lord  Eighteen  Hundred 
and  Forty-seven,  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
election  of  members  of  the  Council  are  held  in 
the  Commonwealth  of  Liberia;  and  the  votes 
shall  be  certified  and  returned  to  the  Colonial 
Secretary,  and  the  result  of  the  election  shall  be 
ascertained,  posted  and  notified  by  him,  as  is 
now  by  law  provided  in  case  of  such  members 
of  Cornell. 

Section  5.  All  other  elections  of  President, 
Vice-President,  Senators  and  Representatives 
shall  be  held  in  the  representative  towns  on  the 
first  Tuesday  in  May  in  every  two  years;  to 
be  held  and  regulated  in  such  a  manner  as  the 


PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH  61 


Legislature  may  by  law  prescribe.  The  re¬ 
turns  of  votes  shall  be  made  to  the  Secretary 
of  State,  who  shall  open  the  same  and  forth¬ 
with  issue  notices  of  the  election  to  the  persons 
apparently  so  elected  Senators  and  Representa¬ 
tives  ;  and  all  such  returns  shall  be  by  him  laid 
before  the  Legislature  at  its  next  ensuing  ses¬ 
sion,  together  with  a  list  of  the  names  of  the 
persons  who  appear  by  such  returns  to  have 
been  duly  elected  Senators  and  Representatives ; 
and  the  persons  appearing  by  said  returns  to 
be  duly  elected  shall  proceed  to  organize  them¬ 
selves  accordingly  as  the  Senate  and  House  of 
Representatives.  The  vote  for  President  shall 
be  sorted,  counted  and  declared  by  the  House 
of  Representatives;  and  if  no  person  shall  ap¬ 
pear  to  have  a  majority  of  such  votes  the  Sen¬ 
ators  and  Representatives  present  shall,  in  con¬ 
vention,  by  joint  ballot,  elect  from  among  the 
persons  have  the  three  highest  number  of  votes 
a  person  to  act  as  President  for  the  ensuing 
term. 

Section  6.  The  Legislature  shall  assemble 
once  at  least  in  every  year,  and  such  meeting 
shall  be  on  the  first  Monday  in  January,  unless 
a  different  day  shall  be  appointed  by  law. 

Section  7.  Every  Legislator  and  other  of¬ 
ficer  appointed  under  this  Constitution  shall, 
before  he  enters  upon  the  duties  of  his  office, 
take  and  subscribe  a  solemn  oath,  or  affirmation, 
to  the  President  in  convention  of  both  Houses, 
and  the  President  shall  administer  the  same 
to  the  Vice-President,  to  the  Senators,  and  to 
the  Representatives  in  like  manner.  When  the 
President  is  unable  to  attend,  the  Chief  Justice 
of  the  Supreme  Court  may  administer  the  oath 
or  affirmation,  to  him  at  any  place,  and  also 
to  the  Vice-President,  Senators  and  Represen- 
tatives,  in  convention.  Other  officers  may  taFe 
such  oath,  or  affirmation,  before  the  President, 
Chief  Justice,  or  other  person  who  may  be 
designated  by  law. 

Section  8.  All  elections  of  public  officers 
shall  be  made  by  a  majority  of  the  votes,  ex- 


62  PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH 


cept  in  case  otherwise  regulated  by  the  Con¬ 
stitution,  or  by  law. 

Section  9.  Offices  created  by  this  Constitu¬ 
tion,  which  the  present  circumstances  of  the 
Republic  do  not  require  that  they  shall  be  filled, 
shall  not  be  filled  until  the  Legislature  shall 
deem  it  necessary. 

Section  10.  The  property  of  which  a  woman 
may  be  possessed  at  the  time  of  her  marriage, 
and  also  that  of  which  she  may  afterwards 
become  possessed,  otherwise  than  by  her  hus¬ 
band,  shall  not  be  held  responsible  for  his  debts, 
whether  contracted  before  or  after  marriage. 

Nor  shall  the  property  thus  intended  to  be 
secured  to  the  woman  be  alienated  otherwise 
than  by  her  free  and  voluntary  consent,  and 
such  alienation  may  be  made  by  her  either  by 
sale,  devise  or  otherwise. 

Section  11.  In  all  cases  in  which  estates  are 
insolvent  the  widow  shall  be  entitled  to  one- 
third  of  the  real  estate  daring  her  natural  life, 
and  to  one- third  of  the  personal  estate,  which 
she  shall  hold  in  her  own  right,  subject  to 
alienation  by  her,  by  sale,  devise  or  otherwise. 

Section  12.  No  person  shall  be  entitled  to 
hold  real  estate  in  this  Republic  unless  he  be 
a  citizen  of  the  same.  Nevertheless  this  article 
shall  not  be  construed  to  apply  to  Colonization, 
Missionary,  Educational,  or  other  benevolent 
institutions,  so  long  as  the  property  or  estate 
is  applied  to  its  legitimate  purpose. 

Section  13.  None  but  Negroes  or  persons  of 
Negro  descent  shall  be  eligible  to  citizenship  in 
this  Republic. 

Section  14.  The  purchase  of  any  land  by  any 
citizen  or  citizens  from  the  aborigines  of  this 
country  for  his  or  their  own  use,  or  for  the 
benefit  of  others,  as  estate  or  estates,  in  fee 
simple,  shall  be  considered  null  and  void  to  all 
intents  and  purposes. 

Section  15.  The  improvement  of  the  native 
tribes  and  their  advancement  in  the  art  of 
agriculture  and  husbandry  being  a  cherished 
object  of  this  Government,  it  shall  be  the  duty 


PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH  63 

of  the  President  to  appoint  in  each  county 
some  discreet  person  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to 
make  regular  and  periodical  tours  through  the 
country  for  the  purpose  of  calling  the  attention 
of  the  natives  to  those  wholesome  branches  of 
industry,  and  of  instructing  them  in  the  same, 
and  the  Legislature  shall,  as  soon  as  it  can  con¬ 
veniently  be  done,  make  provisions  lor  these, 
purposes  by  the  appropriation  of  money. 

Section  16.  The  existing  regulations  of  the 
American  Colonization  Societv,  in  the  Com- 
monwealth,  relative  to  immigrants,  shall  re¬ 
main  the  same  in  the  Republic  until  regulated 
by  compact  between  the  Society  and  the  Re¬ 
public  ;  nevertheless,  the  Legislature  shall  make 
no  law  prohibiting  emigration.  And  it  shall 
be  among  the  first  duties  of  the  Legislature  to 
take  measures  to  arrange  the  future  relations 
between  the  American  Colonization  Society  and 
this  Republic. 

Section  17.  This  Constitution  may  be  altered 
whenever  two-thirds  of  both  branches  of  the 
Legislature  shall  deem  it  necessary;  in  which 
case  the  alterations  or  amendments  shall  first 
be  considered  and  approved  by  the  Legislature 
by  the  concurrence  of  two-thirds  of  the  members 
of  each  branch  and  afterwards  by  them  sub¬ 
mitted  to  the  people,  and  adopted  by  two-thirds 
of  all  the  electors  at  the  next  biennial  meeting 
for  the  election  of  Senators  and  Representatives. 


w.® 


64  PEBBLES  FROM  AN  AFRICAN  BEACH 


DONE  in  CONVENTION,  at  Monrovia, 
in  the  County  of  Montserrado,  by  the 
unanimous  consent  of  the  people  of  the 
Commonwealth  of  Liberia,  this  Twenty- 
sixth  day  of  July,  in  the  Year  of  Our  Lord 
One  Thousand  Eight  Hundred  and  Forty- 
seven,  and  of  the  REPUBLIC  the  first.  In 
witness  whereof  we  have  hereto  set  our 
names. 

MONTSERRADO  COUNTY, 

Benedict,  President  J.  N.  Lewis, 

.  Teage,  Beverly  R.  Wilson, 

Elijah  Johnson  J.  B.  Gripon. 

GRAND  BASSA  COUNTY, 

John  Day  A.  W.  Gardner, 

Amos  Herring,  Ephraim  Titler. 

.  COUNTY  OF  SINOE, 

R.  E.  Murray. 

Jacob  W.  Prout,  Secretary  to  the  Convention 


A 


Residence  Street  in  Monrovia, 


Liberia. 


A  Mission  School 


FLAG  OF  LIBERIA, 


THE  LISLE-CARE^  PRESS, 

"Ewen  Building” 

701  S.  19th  Street,  Philadelphia.  Pa. 


